IMAGE  EVALUATION 
TEST  TARGET  (MT-S) 


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V 


1.0 


I.I 


L^m    |2.5 


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1.8 


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Photographic 

Sdences 

Corporatioii 


23  WfST  MAIN  STRIET 

WEBSTER,  N.Y.  14510 

(716)  873-4503 


^ 


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iV 


[V 


i 


CIHM/ICMH 

Microfiche 

Series. 


CIHIVI/ICMH 
Collection  de 
microfiches. 


Canadian  Institute  for  Historical  Microreproductions  /  Institut  Canadian  de  microreproductions  historiques 


Technical  and  Bibliographic  Notes/Notes  techniques  et  bibliographiques 


The  Institute  has  attempted  to  obtain  the  best 
original  copy  available  for  filming.  Features  of  this 
copy  which  may  be  bibliographically  unique, 
which  may  alter  any  of  the  images  in  the 
reproduction,  or  which  may  significantly  change 
the  usual  method  of  filming,  are  checked  below. 


n 


D 


Coloured  covers/ 
Couverture  de  couleur 


□    Covers  damaged/ 
Couverture  endommag^e 

□    Covers  restored  and/or  laminated/ 
Couverture  restaur^e  et/ou  pelliculie 


Cover  title  missing/ 

Le  titre  de  couverture  manque 


L'Institut  a  microfilm^  le  meilleur  exemplaire 
qu'il  lui  a  At6  possible  de  se  procurer.  Les  details 
de  cet  exempiaire  qui  sont  peut-Atre  uniques  du 
point  de  vue  bibliographique,  qui  peuvent  modifier 
une  image  reproduite,  ou  qui  peuvent  exiger  une 
modification  dans  la  m^thode  normale  de  filmage 
sont  indiqu6s  ci-dessous. 


□    Coloured  pages/ 
Pages  de  couleur 

□    Pages  damaged/ 
Pages  endommag6es 

□    Pages  restored  and/or  laminated/ 
Pages  restauries  et/ou  pellicul6es 


0 


The 
totfi 


The 
posi 
of  tl 
fllml 


Orig 

beg! 

the 

•ion 

othi 

first 

•ion 

oril 


Pages  discoloured,  stained  or  foxed/ 
Pages  d6color6es,  tachetdes  ou  piqu6es 


D 
D 
D 
D 


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Coloured  maps/ 

Cartes  gdographiques  en  couleur 

Coloured  ink  (i.e.  other  than  blue  or  black)/ 
Encre  de  couleur  (i.e.  autre  que  bleue  ou  noire) 

Coloured  plates  and/or  illustrations/ 
Planches  et/ou  illustrations  en  couleur 


Bound  with  other  material/ 
Reli6  avec  d'autres  documents 

Tight  binding  may  cause  shadows  or  distortion 
along  interior  margin/ 

La  reliure  serr^e  peut  causer  de  I'ombre  ou  de  la 
distortion  le  long  de  la  marge  int^rieure 

Blank  leaves  added  during  restoration  may 
appear  within  the  text.  Whenever  possible,  these 
have  been  omitted  from  filming/ 
II  se  peut  que  certaines  pages  blanches  ajouties 
lors  d'une  restauration  apparaissent  dans  le  texte, 
mais,  lorsque  cela  itait  possible,  ces  pages  n'ont 
pas  6t6  filmdes. 

Additional  comments:/ 
Commentaires  suppl^mentaires: 


□Pages  detached/ 
Pages  d6tach6es 

0Showthrough/ 
Transparence 

□    Quality  of  print  varies/ 
Quality  in^gale  de  I'imi 


D 


This  item  is  filmed  at  the  reduction  ratio  checked  below/ 

Ce  document  est  film6  au  taux  de  reduction  indiqu6  ci-dessous. 


6gale  de  I'impression 

lupplementary  materi{ 
Comprend  du  materiel  suppldmentaire 


I      I    Includes  supplementary  material/ 


□    Only  edition  available/ 
Seule  Edition  disponible 


The 
shal 
TINI 
whii 

Mar 
diff( 
•nti 
bag! 
righ 
rmqK 
met 


Pages  wholly  or  partially  obscured  by  errata 
slips,  tissues,  etc.,  have  been  refilmed  to 
ensure  the  best  possible  image/ 
Les  pages  totalement  ou  partiellement 
obscurcies  par  un  feuillet  d'errata,  une  pelure, 
etc.,  ont  6t6  filmies  A  nouveau  de  fa^on  d 
obtenir  la  meilleure  image  possible. 


10X 

14X 

18X 

22X 

26X 

30X 

>i 

m 

^^ 

20X 

24X 

28X 

32X 

ails 

du 

idifier 

une 

nage 


Th«  copy  filmed  h«r«  has  bMn  r«produc«d  thanks 
to  the  genarosity  of: 

University  of  British  Columbia  Library 


Tha  imagas  appaaring  Kara  ara  tha  bast  quality 
possibia  considaring  tha  condition  and  lagibility 
of  tha  original  copy  and  in  kaaping  with  tha 
filming  contract  spacifications. 


L'axamplaira  fiim6  fut  raproduit  grCca  h  la 
g*n6rositA  da: 

University  of  British  Columbia  Library 


Las  imagas  suivantas  ont  6t*  raproduitas  avac  la 
plus  grand  soin,  compta  tanu  da  la  condition  at 
da  la  nattat6  da  l'axamplaira  f limA,  at  an 
conformity  avac  las  conditions  du  contrat  da 
fiimaga. 


Original  copias  in  printad  papar  covars  ara  filmad 
beginning  with  tha  front  covar  and  anding  on 
tha  last  paga  wi:h  a  printad  or  illustratad  impras- 
sion,  or  tha  back  covar  whan  appropriate.  All 
othar  original  copias  ara  filmad  beginning  on  tha 
first  page  with  a  printad  or  illustratad  impres- 
sion, and  anding  on  the  last  paga  with  a  printad 
or  illustratad  impression. 


The  last  recorded  frame  on  each  mictofiche 
shall  contain  tha  symbol  ^^  (meaning  "CON- 
TINUED ").  or  tha  symbol  V  (meaning    END"), 
whichever  tipplies. 


Les  exemplaires  originaux  dont  la  couverture  en 
papier  est  imprimis  sont  film6s  en  commen^ant 
par  le  premier  plat  at  en  terminant  solt  par  la 
darnlAre  page  qui  comporte  une  empreinte 
d'impression  ou  d'illustration,  soit  par  le  second 
plat,  selon  !e  cas.  Tous  les  autres  exemplaires 
originaux  sont  filmAs  en  commenpant  par  la 
premiere  page  qui  comporte  une  empreinte 
d'impression  ou  d'illustration  et  en  terminant  par 
la  derniire  page  qui  comporte  une  telle 
empreinte. 

Un  des  symboles  suivants  apparaitra  sur  la 
derniire  image  de  cheque  microfiche,  selon  le 
cas:  le  symbole  — ^  signifie  "A  SUIVRE",  le 
symbole  V  signifie  "FIN". 


Maps,  plates,  charts,  etc.,  may  be  filmed  at 
different  reduction  ratios.  Those  too  large  to  be 
entirely  included  in  one  exposure  are  filmed 
beginning  in  the  upper  N^t  hand  corner,  left  to 
right  and  top  to  bottom,  as  many  frames  as 
required.  The  following  diegrams  illustrate  the 
method: 


Les  cartes,  planches,  tableaux,  etc.,  peuvent  dtre 
fiimis  A  des  taux  de  reduction  diffirents. 
Lorsque  le  document  est  trop  grand  pour  dtre 
reproduit  en  un  seui  cliche,  il  est  film6  d  partir 
de  I'angle  supArieur  gauche,  de  gauche  A  droite, 
et  de  haut  en  bas,  en  prenant  le  nombre 
d'images  nAcessaire.  Les  diagrammes  suivants 
iliustrent  la  m^thode. 


rrata 
o 


pelure, 
1  d 


□ 


32X 


1 

2 

3 

1 

2 

3 

4 

5 

6 

riMI>   TO   ALASKA 


iV  Jluvvatluc 

OF  WlfAT   WAS  SKKN    AM)  JIEAIJI)   1)1  l:iN,j 

A 

sLMMicn  cnuisE  in  a  la  ska  s 

MM  Th:iiS 


MY 


(iE()l{(;E    WAKDMAN 

l-MTKI)  STAIKS   lUIOASl   HV    UiKNT  AT  TIIK  HKAI.  IS|,\N|,s 


Sax  Fii.\\([s<'u 

SAMTKL  CAKsox  &  c(^.  i»i:ijlisiii:ks 

120  SUTTKK  STUKKT  , 

MOSTON     I.KK   AM)  SUKI'AHM 


Copyright, 

1884, 

By  Sami'kl  Carson. 

All  /lights  Jleserred. 

A  TRIl-  TO  ALASKA. 


CONTENTS. 


I.  Sa\  Francisco  to  Nanaimo 

II.  Ft  Kains 

III.  K.»i.i.()wiN<;  Vaxcoi'VKk's  Wake 

TV.  CANOKS    AM)   CAI{VKI>    Toi-ks    .      . 

V.  Wua\<;i:l  and  Sitka     .... 

VI.  Sitka  and  Kaimak 

VII.  Kadiak 

VIII,  I'm.  SiirMA<;iN  Island.^     .     .     . 

IX.  OXAI.A.SKA's    SiKUfK 

X.  SKAL.SKIX    SaCQII:.^ 

XI.  CoMMl  MSTK" 

XII.  Till.  KiK  Wi:.sT 

XIII.  Islands.  Kock.s,  .vm)  .Mimmii.s. 

XIV.  OuK  Ak<'Tic  Ri.i.a  itons  .     .     .     . 
XV.  St.  Mktiaf.i.'s  anm  tiii:  Yikox 

XVI.  KiLi.ixc;  Till,  Wiiiti.  Wiialk.     . 

XVII.  SlTPEIiSTITIONS 

XVIII.  D()(;.s  AND  Dkivkhs 

XIX.  l*Koi)U("TS  oi'  nil,  ViKox  Uf;<;iox 

XX.  The  Si'mmku  Ciior  <»i    Skal.s 

XXI.  Alet't  CoruTsmi'  ani>  .MAuwrA^iE 

XXII.  A  Fated  Poi.ak  Cim  i.skk  .    .     . 

XXIII.  A  Wui.(  K 

XXIV.  Conclusion 


1 
13 

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40 
61 
Go 
72 
77 
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\U 
loG 
Klo 
170 
17M 
1H() 
200 
21  :J 
221 
220 
2.'i5 


A    TRIP     TO    ALASKA. 


CHAPTER  I. 


SAN   FRANCISCO   TO   NANAIMO. 


"VrOTWITIISTANDING  nil  that  has  ])cen 
-^^  written  about  Alaska  there  seems  to  he 
an  amazinir  lack  of  "-eneral  information  amon<r 
the  people  of  the  United  States  concerning  that 
country,  its  inha])itants,  climate,  resources,  and 
even  its  extent.  People  ask,  "  Is  it  very  cold 
in  Alaska?"  when  there  is  a  range  of  nearly 
twenty  degrees  in  latitude,  reaching  from  tifty- 
four  to  seventy-two  north  and  a  variation  in 
temperature  of  one  hundred  and  fifty  degrees, 
Fahrenheit,  between  the  hottest  summer  and 
coldest  winter  weather.  The  general  idea  of 
Alaska  is  based  upon  crude  notions  concerning 
Sitka,  and  are  not  much  more  valuable  than 
would  have  been  the  notions  of  a  wild  African 
cast  away  upon  Key  West  four  hundre<l  years 
ago  about  the  region  now  known  as  the  United 
States. 


2 


A    Tlill'   70    ALASKA. 


In  ilic  sunimor  ol'  l<s7!l  tlu?  writer  obtained 
permission  from  Hon.  John  Siici'man,  at  that 
time  Secretary  of  tiie  Treasnrv,  to  proceed  in 
the  Tniled  States  rcvenne  steamer  "Ivichanl 
]tush,"  Captain  liailev,  on  her  cruiM*  (Vom  San 
Francisco  to  Siti<a,  the  Fur  Seal  Ishmds,  the 
Sea  Otter  (irounds,  and  otiier  i)oints  in  Alas- 
kan waters.  Tiie  vovau'e  proved  exceedin<jfly 
interesting,  and  the  author  iravc  an  account  of 
what  he  saw  and  lieard  to  certain  newspapers, 
in  a  desultory  way,  Imt  he  has  been  led  to 
believe  that  his  observations  may  l)e  read  in  a 
more  j)ermanent  form  with  interest,  and  \w, 
hopes  with  protit,  by  those  who  may  be  in 
search  of  information  eoneerniuir  Alaska. 

Going  from  California,  or  the  east,  to  Sitka, 
the  most  i)ractical  route  of  travel  is  b}'  steamer 
from  San  I-'rancisco.     The  course  is  coastwise 


to  Cape 


Flatt 


erv,  an( 


1  tl 


len 


up 


the  Straits  of 


Fuca  and  by  inland  jiassages  to  the  objective 
V)oint.  The  interest  of  the  vovaire  to  the 
tourist  beufins  at  the  mouth  of  the  Straits, 
where  the  vessel  leaves  the  open  sea  and  enters 
a   broad   chamiel    with    Washinirton    Territory 


»1 


)on  one  hand  and   Vancouver  Island   on  the 


other.  From  this  point  to  Sitka  the  scene  is 
one  of  varied  interest  to  the  traveller,  and  quite 
free  from  the  usual  discomforts  of  ocean  travel. 


.v.i.v  ni.iyri.scfi  rn  y.w.i/.Mo. 


[)»'  FiKM,  wlio  reported  tlio  discovery  hvvv  of 
ji  irrcjit  iiilniid  pjissairo  to  Hudson's  Hay  or  soiiu' 
M('(lil(«rraiu'an  sea,  ij:av(*  a  wondi'rfnlly  iiiia::-!- 
iiative  act'ount  of  the  rich  and  rare  products  of 
the  couiitrv  Mud  tljc  wcaltli  of  the  natives,  who 
were  said  to  l)e  decorate(l  witii  <^old  and  silvci* 
ornaments  in  irreat  profusion,  thus  jjrovini:- 
verv  conclusivelv  tliat  he  knew  nothinjj:  al)out 
the  count  rv,  l)Ut  had  onlv  he(Mi  inildiv  en- 
dorsinir  in  U)40  what  I>e  Fonte,  another  aMeired 
Spanish  navipitor,  tohl  about  as  early  as  1 ')^<2. 
This  bohl  liar,  whose  existence,  however,  was 
never  fully  established,  related  that  he  had 
found  a  northwest  ])assai:e  throuirh,  in  about 
latitude?  lifly,  to  th(5  Atlantic,  alonir  which  he 
sailed  for  three  hundred  leairues,  till  he  met  a 
ship  from  Boston,  commanded  by  a  Captain 
Slade,  who  i»ave  him  not  oidy  a  succinct  ac- 
count of  the  passaufe,  but  sold  him  charts  of  the 
entire  coast  on  both  sides  for  ten  thousand 
dollars.  The  charts  never  a))peare<l  in  ]irint, 
having  been  mislaid  somewhere  on  boai'd  the 
])ureluiser's  ship.  Tt  is  more  than  stranuc  they 
have  never  been  published.  There  is  no  doubt 
that  a  book  was  ]iublished  jiurportinir  to  have 
been  written  by  De  Fonte.  but  tiie  fact  that  it 
was  published  in  Fniilish.  by  an  Kdinbui-uh 
house,  leads  to  the  suspicion  that  De  Fonte 
never  existed  outside  of  the  print-shop. 


# 


-r^ 


A    Tin  I'    TO   ALASKA. 


At  all  events,  thoufrli  Oiptjiin  Cook  discov- 
ered and  named  (^ipe  Flattery,  before  bein^]^ 
bjirbecued  ])v  tlie  Sjindvvieli  Islanders,  even 
tlien  tbe  fact  of  tlie  existence  of  such  an  open- 
in<j:  of  the  sea  into  the  land  as  the  Straits  of 
Fuca  was  doubted.  "When  Captain  Vancouver 
arrived  off  the  coast,  only  a  decree  below,  ho 
wrote  doubtinfriv  of  it,  and  denied  the  existence 
of  the  Columbia  Hiver  even,  after  having  passed 
its  very  mouth.  He  referred  to  the  ri'ports  of 
such  oi)enin<,'^s  as  the  probable  creations  of 
"closet  philosophers."  After  having  passed  uj) 
to  Nootka  Sound  as  "  one  of  the  openings  "  to 
Fuca  Straits,  he  dropped  down  to  Cape  Flat- 
tery, and  to  his  great  astonishment  soon  found 
himself  sailing  in  an  inland  sea  about  fifteen 
miles  in  width  and  without  bounds  to  the  east- 
ward as  far  as  he  could  at  first  observe.  It 
was  not  till  the  evenin":  of  the  second  dav  of 
his  cruise  that  he  arrived  at  what  proved  to  be 
the  archipelago. 

Captain  Vancouver  went  to  work  like  the 
thorough  naviirator  that  he  was,  when  once 
certain  that  there  was  something  to  be  investi- 
gated, and  he  made  a  complete  survey  of  all 
the  inlets,  channels,  and  shoals,  not  only  in  the 
Straits  proper,  but  up  to  the  head  of  Puget 
Sound,  with  all  its  ramifications ;  and  to  this 


SAN  FHAyCJ^VO   TO  NAyAJMO. 


(lay,  his  la  the  best  description  of  these  waters 
extant,  alth()u«rh  lie  made  his  examination  in 
171)2.  His  (leli<xht  on  ^ettin<j:  out  tVoni  the 
stormy,  t'o^gy  si!a  over  whicii  lie  had  been 
sailing  tor  days  and  weeks,  and  passing  tin'ough 
sueli  semes  as  the  "Hush"  came  upon  after  the 
fog  arose,  may  be  better  im:i<;ined  tiian  de- 
seril)ed,  for  tliis  region  was  tliep  'n  a  primitive 
eonditi(m  of  unl)r()lv(ni  forests,  eovering  ))ietur- 
esque  iiills  and  snow-cappe'"  nouniair»s  that  rear 
tlieir  hoary  heads  above  tiie  luvious  elouds. 
As  we  steamed  up  from  tiie  l/jieitie  tlie  mists 
elung  al)0ut  the  hillsides  till  about  elevt^n 
o'eloek,  when  they  arose  somewhat  on  the 
northern  shore,  but  elung  to  Washington  Terri- 
tory with  great  persistence  till  noon.  The 
British  side  from  the  mouth  of  the  Straits  up  as 
far  as  Victoria  and  beyond  is  climatically  fav- 
ored, having  high  mountains  to  break  the  force 
of  the  northerly  winds,  and  a  southern  exi>o- 
sure  sloping  down  to  the  water's  edge,  ofiering 
every  inducement  for  sunnner  residences  and 
picnic  grounds.  The  American  side  is  more 
given  to  fogs  and  raw  winds,  which  sweep 
across  the  fifteen  miles  of  open  water. 

From  a  purely  picturesque  point  of  view  this 
country  is  all  that  could  ))e  desired,  and  the 
farther  one  penetrates  into  the  country  the 
attractions  for  the  tourist  multiply. 


TT 


6 


A   TRIP   TO  ALASKA. 


The  town  of  Victoria  is  beautifully  situated, 
but  it  is  a  dead  town.  It  was  lai'<»:ely  built  uj) 
durini?  the  Fraser  River  sroid  excitement,  which 
coninienced  in  lcS57,  attracting  hither  thousands 
of  miners  wlio  abandoned  i^ood  diuuinfjs  in  Cal- 
ifornia  and  arrived  here  in  a  starving  condition, 
but  conHdent  of  a  revival  of  '41)  flush  times. 
Tliey  were  doomed  to  disap{)ointment  and 
extreme  sullerin"".  Hundreds  died  of  hun^rer 
and  exposure,  but  thousands  returned  to  Cali- 
fornia after  under<>:oinfr  almost  incredible  hard- 
ships.  A  few  remained  and  made  "grub" 
wages,  but  the  great  expectations  proved  falla- 
cious, and  as  the  prospects  lessened  and  the 
diggings  "  petered  out,"  Victoria  began  to 
decline  and  went  down  almost  as  fast  as  it 
n^rew.  Hows  of  houses  constructed  at  great 
cost  now  stand  idle  in  the  half-deserted  city, 
which  once  enjoyed  a  considera])le  degree  of 
commercial   prosperity. 

Al)out  thirty-Hve  miles  southeastward  from 
Victoria,  and  at  the  entrance  proper  to  Puget 
Sound,  is  Port  Townsend,  the  American  coun- 
terpart to  British  Victoria.  It  is  a  dilapidated 
place  of  an  easy-going  character,  celebrated  for 
dogs,  drinking-shops,  and  a  custom-house.  We 
did  not  see  Port  Townsend,  and  what  I  say 
refers  only  to  its  general  reputation.     It  may 


SAN  FRANCISCO   TO  NANAIMO. 


pii 


settlciiKMit 


1 


)ers()n- 


IV  ji  miin- 
i1)i(i()us    at 


be  as  moral  and  virtuous 

of  Shakers  for  aught  the  author  knoAV 

ally.     A))ove  Port  To'^'iisend  there  ar 

her   of    small    cities,    the    most 

})resent  l)eing  Seattle  and  Taeonia,  the  latter  of 

which  hopes  to  be  the  western  terminus  of  the 

Northern  l*acitic  Railway. 

Passing  Victoria  we  wind  sharply  around  to 
the  left  between  Trial  and  Discovery  Islands, 
findin*;  ourselves  in  a  narrow  channel,  and  we 
leave  the  Straits,  Puget  Sound,  and  C)l3'nii)ian 
Mountains  away  to  the  southward.  The  })retty 
little  farms  above  and  below  Victoria  all  eniov 
an  air  of  ai)parent  prosperity-,  green  in  verdure 
or  brown  in  new-plowed  fields,  as  we  pass  to 
the  left  of  the  once  famous  San  Juan,  al)out 
which  we  did  not  want  to  light,  but  would  not 
give  up,  and  which,  along  with  other  islands 
around  it,  was  awarded  to  us  bv  sfood  and  kind 
King  Wilhelm,  now  Emperor  of  Germany. 

San  Juan  was  for  a  lonij  time  a  bone  of  eon- 
tention  between  Uncle  Sam  and  John  P>ull,  but 
it  was  a  sort  of  frontier  paradise  in  its  wjiy. 
There  were  two  military  encampments  upon  the 
isltmd,  ours  on  the  eastern  and  the  liritish  on 
the  western  side,  both  claiming  and  neither 
daring  or  cariuir  to  exercise  civil  Oi'  criminal 
jurisdiction  over  it.     The  troops  were  friendly 


8 


A   TRIP   TO  ALASKA. 


enough,  and  usod  to  meet  half  way  to  play  base 
ball,  cricket,  and  other  national  games.  As 
neither  owned  the  property  in  fact,  neither 
could  or  would  collect  taxes  for  vears ;  and 
when  it  came  to  trying  criminals  for  such  pleas- 
antries as  killing  people,  that  was  a  more  deli- 
cate piece  of  business  still,  and  the  consequence 
was  a  man  mi<»ht  murder  an  entire  familv  and, 
if  arrested,  prove  himself  to  bo  an  American 
citizen  or  an  English  subject ;  and  it  was  equal 
to  an  alibi  or  a  plea  of  insanity  —  and  much 
cheaper. 

There  is  one  thing,  however,  that  San  Juan 
is  good  tor,  and  that  is  lime.  It  is  an  island  of 
limestone,  and  if  enough  [)eople  would  come 
out  to  this  region  and  build  a  sufficient  number 
of  houses  to  create  a  demand  for  it,  we  might 
put  San  Juan  tlu'ough  lime-kilns,  and  so  get  rid 
of  it.  But  unless  the  Innnigration  Bounty  Bill, 
or  some  similar  l)ad  measure,  shall  become  a 
law,  there  is  no  telling  when  there  will  be  a 
demand  for  San  Juan  lime. 

The  "  San  Juan  question "  was  whether  the 
main  channel  from  the  forty-ninth  parallel 
going  out  to  the  sea  by  the  way  of  the  Straits 
of  Fuca  led  through  the  C!anal  De  Ilaro  on  that 
side  of  the  island  toward  Vancouver,  or  throusrh 
Rosario  Straits,  on  the  American  side,  the  main 


SAN  FRANCL'SCO   TO  NANAIMO. 


9 


chuniiel  from  our  western  Itind  terminus  at  the 
forty-ninth  punillel  l)eing,  by  the  terms  of  the 
tie.'it}'^  under  the  Northwestern  Boundary  Com- 
mission, determined  on  us  the  national  water-line. 
Swin^-inff  around  still  farther  to  the  left,  as 
we  pass  San  Juan,  we  catch  a  last  glimpse  of 
Mount  Baker,  sixty  or  seventy  miles  to  the 
southward,  covered  with  snow,  and  now  we 
begin  to  pass  away  up  the  east  side  of  Van- 
couver, but  among  countless  islands  which 
divide  the  waters  here  into  channels,  winding 
in  and  out,  a  labyrinth  of  land  and  water.  On 
every  side,  behind  and  before,  are  rugged 
islands  rising  up  out  of  the  sea,  and,  with  few 
exceptions,  covered  with  evergreen  trees  at  the 
tops,  while  those  of  a  lighter,  fresher  green 
abound  near  the  bases.  The  insi)iring  breeze 
which  had  helped  us  along  up  the  Straits  died 
away  ere  this,  or  is  lost  to  us  in  the  first  great 
bend  around  from  Victoria,  and  the  blackened 
canvas  of  the  energetic  little  steamer  has  l)een 
folded  away  as  carefully  as  clean  napkins.  The 
air  grows  warm  among  these  islands  shortly 
after  noon,  and  having  walked  the  deck  for  an 
hour  or  so,  it  seemed  like  midsummer,  while  a 
thermometer  swinging  in  the  open  uir  over  the 
pilot-ho''  ^iiaicated  seventy-six  above.  Then 
we  enter  unon  on©  of  the  most  interesting:  little 


10 


.1    Tllir   TO  ALASKA. 


runs  experienced  on  this  trip.  This  is  the  pas- 
saire  throuiih  Active  Pass,  where  for  about  two 
miles  we  are  led  to  port  and  stariioard  in  siiort, 
sharp,  quick  turns,  directed  l)y  our  [)ilot,  like  a 
beginner  pushed  through  the  bewildering  move- 
ments of  a  contra-dance. 

At  every  turn  new  beauties  come  suddenl}^ 
into  view ;  new  islands,  new  shapes,  new 
scenery,  with  here  and  there  an  Indian  rancheria 
or  a  somewhat  civilized-lookinjr  shanty  nestlin<r 
among  the  trees.  Occasionally  a  son  of  the 
forest  (and  sea)  paddles  his  way  along  in  his 
trusty  "dug-out,"  as  proud  and  independent  as 
a  Doge  of  V  nice  in  his  gondola;  and  it  may 
be  doubted  if  ever  the  Adriatic  was  so  beauti- 
ful as  this.  The  loveliest  islands,  the  most 
inviting  m-oves,  the  ijreenest  mosses  and  bright- 
est  waters  are  seen  everywhere. 

Out  of  this,  ntiture's  pleasure  grounds  of  lake 
and  grove,  we  emerirc  into  the  (iulf  of  Geori»ia 
—  a  broad  expanse  of  water  stretching  away  to 
the  westward  ])ev()nd  the  horizon.  On  the 
right  is  a  gap  in  a  timbered  promontor3%  mark- 
ing the  line  where  the  forty-ninth  parallel  finds 
its  jumi)ing-oir  })lace  in  the  extreme  north- 
western corner  of  the  United  States.  Beyond 
this  we  soon  have  the  mouth  of  Fraser  River  on 
our  right,  and  all  along  on  that  side  are  snow- 


SAX  FJiAyclSt'O   TO  XAyAIMO. 


11 


capped  mountuins.  Xow  wc  stem  up  through 
tliis  broad  inhuid  sea  for  Xanainio  \vith  no  ob- 
struction in  our  path,  as  tar  as  the  eye  can  see. 
AVe  continue  steaming  up  the  gulf  till,  after  a 
gorgeous  sunset  of  crimson  and  gold,  and  a 
temperature  down  to  iifty,  we  make  a  long  curve 
of  six  or  seven  miles,  still  toward  the  left,  and  are 
now  heading  directly  toward  our  starting  point 
on  the  other  side  of  the  island  in  the  morning. 

We  came  to  anchor  in  the  snug  little  harbor 
of  Xanaimo,  a  town  of  some  eight  hundred  or 
nine  hundred  inhabitants,  mostly  AVelsh,  who 
gain  a  liveliliood  by  digging  coal.  It  should  be 
said  that  Xanaimo  coal  is  considered  the  best  on 
the  Pacific  coast  for  steaminii;,  for  which  reason 
it  is  freighted  to  all  points  up  as  high  as  Behring 
Straits,  and  as  far  south  as  San  Diego.  The 
town  is  situated  on  the  eastern  side  of  Van- 
couver's Island,  about  one  hundred  and  forty 
miles  from  Cape  Flattery,  as  we  came,  but 
across  the  island  to  the  mouth  of  the  Straits 
it  is  not  more  than  forty  or  fifty  miles. 

Xanaimo  is  prettily  situated,  with  rising 
wooded  hills  to  the  rear  and  a  number  of  small 
islands  lying  in  front,  one  of  which,  by  its  posi- 
tion and  shape,  forms  a  circular  slip  before  the 
town,  which,  owing  to  the  rise  and  fall  of  the 
tide',  constitutes  a  natural  dry-dock  where  ships 


i! 


12 


A  TRIP  TO  ALASKA. 


iiijiy  be  scraped  and  calking  done  in  perfect 
safety.  The  enterprisins:  Chinaman  is  here, 
and  a  telegraphic  wire  connects  this  place  with 
Victoria.  In  spite  of  all  advantages,  however, 
the  fact  is,  too  much  rain  falls  here.  The 
spring  is  always  backward,  and  the  harvest  sel- 
dom amounts  to  anything.  It  rains  four  or  five 
times  a  day,  altogether  too  much  when  it  is 
kept  up  the  year  round. 

Coal,  however,  is  in  good  demand,  and  it  is 
said  the  supply  is  insuflScient  to  satisfy  the 
wants  of  trade.  The  coal  is  run  down  in  cars 
from  the  mines  to  the  wharf  and  dumped 
through  chutes  on  shipboard.  Here  our  steamer 
filled  all  available  space,  fore  and  aft,  giving 
her  the  appearance  of  a  regular  collier.  With 
rain  and  coal  so  mixed  as  we  had  it,  the 
contracted  quarters  on  board  became  smaller 
and  the  neatness  less  conspicuous. 


I 


CHAPTER  II. 


IT   KAIN.S. 


/^NE  day  on  sliipboard  in  northwestern 
^-^  waters  in  spring  or  early  siunnier  is 
very  much  like  another;  too  niiicli  so  under 
the  circumstances  and  condition  of  atiairs  to  be 
pleasant.  Suppose  the  little  "  Kush,"  one  hun- 
dred and  ninety  tons  burden  starting  out  at 
daybreak,  after  juichoring  all  night  in  conse- 
quence of  thick  weather.  With  a  heavy  rain 
all  night  and  a  dense  fog  to  thicken  the  weather, 
it  would  be  destruction  to  attempt  to  run 
through  the  dai'kness.  At  daylight  there  is 
no  improveniement  so  far  as  the  weather  is 
concerned,  but  daylight  enal)les  one  to  see 
land  dimly  once  in  a  while  on  either  hand. 
Sailing  in  the  open  sea  and  cruising  among 
the  Alaskan  islands  or  the  British  Columbia 
archipelago  are  two  entirely  ditferent  matters. 
One  may  be  prosecuted  at  night  without 
great  risk  other  than  a  collision  with  another 
ship,  but  when  the  mariner  hm-  islancls  to  the 
right  of  him  and   to  the  left  of  him,  as  well 


13 


14 


A   TRIP  TO  ALASKA. 


i1- 

i 


m 

II' 


as  ahead,  all  enveloped  in  fog  and  mist,  the 
eonipass  is  a  poor  reliance  without  sharp  eye- 
sio^ht  and  a  knowledi^je  of  ambuscaded  reefs 
and  rocks  lyin<r  in  wait  for  the  careless  voy- 
ager.    But  to  the  start. 

At  half  past  two  or  three  or  four  o'clock 
in  the  morning,  our  captain  appears  on  deck 
with  his  calm  good-natured  face  and  clear  hlue 
eyes  visible  beneath  the  rim  of  his  sou'-wester. 
He  is  enveloped  from  neck  to  heels  in  an  oil- 
skin "jacket,"  like  an  overgrown  yellow  night- 
shirt. Peeping  out  below  is  a  pair  of  rubber 
boots.  The  rain  runs  down  out  of  the  clouds 
as  if  the  string  opening  a  shower-bath  had  been 
pulled  and  the  supply  of  water  above  was  un- 
limited. The  rain  does  not  seem  to  be  angry  ; 
it  is  not  in  a  hurry  ;  it  does  not  try  to  be  irrita- 
ting or  severe ;  it  may  not  be  a  very  cold  rain. 
It  is  simply  a  rain  running  down  straight  and 
steady  as  if  it  was  an  old  and  every-day  occur- 
rence— no  pretension  nor  airs  —  nothing  but  a 
plain  rain  attending  to  its  regular  duty  and 
without  anv  feelino-  in  the  matter. 

The  captain  removes  his  meerschaum  and  says, 
"  Good  morning,"  as  mildly  and  pleasantly  as 
the  rain  streams  down. 

You  respond  and  say  still  further,  "It's  a 
wet  morning."    The  captain  receives  this  intelli- 


IT  RAINS. 


15 


geiK'o  without  any  iilr  of  sur[)ri.se,  tiiid  if  he  is 
not  oc'C'iii)ie(l  giving  orders  iibout  getting  under- 
tvjiy,  ho  nuiy  remark,  "It  rains  very  easy  in 
this  country." 

That 's  it  exactly.  Take  it  all  the  way  up  the 
const  from  San  Francisco  to  the  Straits  of  Fuca, 
from  Victoria  to  Sitka,  from  Sitka  to  the  Seal 
Islands,  and  you  may  generally  find  it  raining 
jrhout  as  easily  as  it  could  possil^ly  do  if  care  had 
I)een  taken  to  make  it  oil  instead  of  water. 

VVe  get  under  way  as  soon  after  daylight  as 
may  be  compatible  with  safety  for  the  steamer. 
The  rain  slii)s  down  unceasingly.  Mists  shut 
out  from  view  everything,  unless  on  cne  side  or 
the  other  a  bank,  a  shade  darker  than  the  clouds, 
may  be  distinguished  l)y  trained  eyes.  It  may 
l)e  an  island,  a  rock,  or  onl}'  a  bank  of  fog 
thicker  than  the  average  mist.  The  captain, 
the  officer  of  the  deck,  and  the  pilot  say  it  is 
land,  and  tell  the  name  of  it.  Airainst  such  an 
array  of  nautical  opinion  it  would  be  folly  for  a 
landsman  to  contend.  Call  it  land  if  you  will. 
It  looks  ver}'  much  as  if  we  had  land  ahead,  too, 
but  the  enfifines  are  steadily  workiui:^,  and  we 
may  be  making  eight  knots  an  hour.  We  run 
through  the  apparent  land  ahead. 

The  rain  continues  to  slide  down,  but  ^ver}''- 
thing  goes  on  as  quietly  and  systematically  on 


16 


A    riiJV   TO  ALASKA. 


'■!m 


bojird  as  tliouirh  this  wow  a  writiiii'-sehool. 
The  captain  paddles  around  in  his  h)n^  yellow 
gown  and  softly  st('pi)in<^  gum  boots  till  five  o» 
six  o'clock,  when  he  sees  everything  all  right, 
and  havinir  his  position  and  l)earin<j:8  beyond  a 
doubt,  turns  in,  till  breakfast  time.  The  officer 
of  the  deck,  who  is  also  masciuerading  in  sou'- 
wester, oil-skin  and  rubber  boots,  and  the  pilot 
similarly  arrayed,  remain  on  duty  and  receive 
the  rain  which  glides  down  over  the  rims  of 
their  rubber  helmets  and  oiled  armor  as  if  it 
liad  no  more  purpose  there  than  lightning  on 
an  iron-rod  to  <ret  down  and  leave  no  mark. 

At  eight  bells  the  officer  of  the  deck  goes 
below,  being  relieved  by  a  brother  similarly 
arrayed,  who  acts  as  conductor  to  the  rain  for 
the  ensuing  four  hours. 

The  pilot  is  tem[)orarily  relieved  for  break- 
fast by  the  captain,  after  which  he  returns  to 
the  "house,"  where  he  smokes  his  cigarette  and 
gazes  out  into  the  fog  ahead,  port  and  star])oard, 
till  dinner.  He  keeps  this  up  till  supper  time, 
or  till  we  come  to  an  anchor.  The  officer  of  the 
first  watch  paddles  around  on  the  "  house"  till 
noon,  when  he  is  relieved  by  another  of  his 
style  in  dress  and  manners.  After  breakfast 
the  captain  quietly  appears  on  deck  again,  and 
if  tired  carrying  his  water-proof  around  he  goes 


IT  h'.llXS. 


17 


into  tho  pilot  lioiiso  .'ind  kooi>s  ji  look  out  tboro 
ail  (lav.  Ho  knows  tlio  countrv  (luito  as  well 
as  the  i)il()l,  and  ho  keeps  the  position  of  the 
vessel  strict Iv. 

Perhaps  by  noon,  if  what  is  called  a  tnie  day 
among  the  islands,  a  patch  of  hliio  al)oiit  as 
larire  as  a  postage-stamp  nia\'  be  seen  overhead, 
but  the  fog  still  |)resses  low  down  on  the  water 
all  around.  A  little  later  it  rises  in  patches, 
but  even  on  a  very  clear  afternoon,  with  the 
sun  visible  in  the  western  sky,  i^atches  of  fog 
will  be  found  roosting  in  the  tree  tops  where 
they  remain  all  day,  and  all  night  it  may  be,  for 
at  dark  they  still  hang  around  as  if  loth  to  go 
u])  into  the  cold  air  of  the  mountain  summits. 
Yet  do  not  think  that  l)ecausc  the  sun  comes 
out  the  rain  is  over.  That  makes  no  ditferenee 
whatever.  The  rain  goes  on  and  attends  to  its 
business  all  the  same.  A\'ith  the  sun  shining  the 
rain  tilters  down  by  lits  and  starts  ina  <u-sultor3' 
way,  like  a  sprinkling-cart  that  runs  itself  out 
and  then  goes  back  to  the  hydrant  for  another 
supply.  This  is  particularly  tine  weather  for 
this  reii'ion. 

AVhen  the  fog  does  rise,  and  the  clouds  break 
away  in  circumscribed  localities,  the  ruirired 
mountain  tops  thrust  themselves  up  as  if  they 
had  rent  the  skv.     On  the  British  Columbian 


18 


.1    rnjP   TO   ALASKA. 


j 


-    , 


% 


'1 


Tsliinds  jil)ovo  the  (jruiC  of  (Jcoriiiii,  snow- 
covered  peaks  rise  IVoin  one  ihoiisaiul  to  six 
thousand  i'eet,  almost  perpendicularly  abovc^ 
the  water.  'I'heir  t()i)s  are  eo\  n'ed  with  snow, 
hut  for  two  or  thre<'  thousand  i'eet  from  the 
base  they  are  adorned  with  thick-irrowinir 
spruee.  With  mixed  weather  and  sceiu'ry  the 
pros[)eet  is  always  charminij:,  presenting  an 
endless  panorama.  Still,  the  great  feature  of 
the  country  is  water,  al)ov(;  and  helow. 

On  the  day  of  our  departure  from  Xanainio, 
we  sail  through  fog  and  mist  and  rain,  up  to 
the  head  of  the  Gulf  of  (ieorgia,  and  thence 
into  Discovery  Passage.  About  six  miles  from 
the  entrance  to  Discovery  Passage  we  come  by 
a  short  turn  to  Sej^mour's  Narrows.  Here 
the  tide  is  forced  throujrh  a  narrow,  windiniif 
channel  at  from  four  to  six  knots  an  hour. 
There  arc  foaming  swirls  over  the  face  of  the 
rocks,  and  great  eddies  caused  by  meeting  cur- 
rents. The  Narrows  are  not  more  than  a  pistol 
shot  across,  and  a  deviation  of  a  quarter  of  a 
point  from  the  true  channel  sends  a  ship  to  de- 
struction. Here  the  contending  currents  take  a 
vessel  by  che  nose  and  swing  her  from  port  to 
starboard,  and  from  starboard  to  port,  as  a 
terrier  shakes  a  rat.  It  may  be  doubted  if  the 
Argonautic  expedition  experienced  greater  perils 


t.t.K 

If 


ill 


IT  RAINS. 


19 


timii  tiro  to  1)0  mot  in  Seyiiiour  Xjinows,  at  tlio 
mouth  of  whii'li  the  l)()n('.s  of  tlio  I'uitod  States 
fillip  Sarauac  lio  Moachiui;  fathoms  down. 

Ilaviiiii'  safoly  made  our  exit  from  tho  Nar- 
rows, wo  contimu^  on  through  smooth  waters, 
with  eomparativoly  easy  curves,  till  wc  roaeh 
,lohnstoiio  Straits,  when  once  more  wc  go 
winding  away  among  pretty  coves,  and  at  tho 
foot  of  high  mountains,  covered  with  an  inex- 
haustible crop  of  tirs  and  s})ruco  which,  high 
up,  look  like  green  velvet;  hut  the  sailing  is 
safe,  for  a  hundred  fathoms  of  line  will  not 
permit  the  lead  to  touch  bottom  here.  It  has 
the  appearance  of  a  broad,  smooth  river,  M'ind- 
ing  its  way  sleepily  between  high  mountains 
and  steep,  rocky  clitl's. 

The  canoes,  or  "dug-outs,"  in  the  north- 
western waters  arc  as  large,  sometimes  us 
graceful  and  possibly  swifter,  than  Cleoi)atra's 
bars^e.  The  natives  travel  in  them  for  weeks 
up  and  down  these  inland  seas  and  salty  cur- 
rents to  trading  posts,  carrying  their  furs  for 
barter.  They  take  their  families  at  times,  as  a 
Pennsylvania  farmer  takes  his  wife  and  (hiugh- 
ters  and  stalwart  sons  in  his  Conestogii  wagon 
to  York  or  Reading. 

These  canoe  cruisers  paddle  or  >ail  ail  djiy 
with  the  tide,  and  go  into  camp  wherever  the}' 


T^ 


20 


A    TRW    TO  ALASKA. 


I! 


1   ! 


i;l 


please,  resuming  their  journey  on  the  next 
flood.  Tliev  fl.sh  as  tliev  iro,  and  And  fresh 
water  runninLr  down  the  mountain  sides  from 
the  snow  reservoirs  above.  AVhat  ponies  and 
tiie  trails  of  the  mouiitains  and  valleys  are  to 
the  Indians  of  the  Plains,  canoes  and  inland 
jiassairos  amonijf  the  islands  are  to  the  natives  of 
British  Columbia  and  Alaska. 

One  eveninir,  just  after  the  "Kush"  turned  a 
short  hend  in  Johnstone  Straits,  a  larsfe  canoe 
was  siirhted  otf  the  port  bow.  She  was  moving 
slowly  along  and  contained  several  persons. 
As  the  wind  was  pretty  stifl",  and  the  set  of  the 
tide  uncertain,  the  captain  told  "Mike,"  our 
pilot,  that  he  might  bear  up  a  trifle  so  as  to 
speak  the  canoe.  As  soon  as  the  movement 
became  apparent  to  the  natives,  all  hands  began 
to  paddle  with  collegiate  energy,  and  the  "dug- 
out" spurted  for  shore  as  if  with  a  determina- 
tion to  scramble  to  the  top  of  the  mountain. 
"  Mike,"  who  was  long  since  a  trader  in  these 
waters,  at  once  asserted  with  all  contidence  that 
the  canoe  had  whiskey  aboard,  and  as  whiskey 
is  contraband  amonii:  the  Indians  of  British 
Columbia,  the  paddlers  were  fleeing  to  avoid 
confiscation.  As  the  "  Rush"  had  no  jurisdiction 
in  British  waters  there  was  no  eftbrt  to  overhaul 
the  "dug-out,"  and    as   soon   as  its   occupants 


■II 


IT  IIAINS. 


21 


found  the  chase  abandoned,  they  rested  their 
paddles  and  waved  farewell  salute.s  with  their 
hats.  Occasionally,  as  often  as  a  dozen  times 
in  a  hundred  miles,  smoke  may  be  seen  rising 
from  amon<r  the  trees  in  British  Columbia  alon<; 
the  inland  passage.  Solitary  cabins  of  such 
white  men  as  take  Indian  wives  and  who  are 
content  to  live  by  hunting  and  iishing,  occur  at 
unfrequent  intervals,  and  still  farther  apart  an; 
Indian  villages  of  wooden  houses.  Game  is 
said  to  be  al)undant  in  the  hills,  and  fish  are 
plentiful  in  the  waters.  With  canoes  for  trans- 
portation and  guns  and  fishing  tackle  to  secure 
the  necessaries  of  life,  these  people  subsist  in 
contentment.  The  cold  is  not  severe,  and  the 
natural  dampness  produced  by  continuous  rain 
is  put  up  with  as  a  blessing  from  the  clouds. 


Hi       ' 


1 
f 


ti 


■n 


m 


I 


CHAPTER  III. 
FOLLOWING  Vancouver's  wake. 

QUEEX  CHARLOTTE'S  SOUND,  which 
»;e  cross  on  the  way  to  Sitkn,  is  a  dan- 
gerous i)lace.  Here,  in  our  very  course,  in 
1794,  Vancouver  got  the  Discovery,  his  flag- 
ship, upon  the  rocks  one  day,  and  had  no 
sooner,  by  the  rising  of  the  tide,  floated  her 
again,  than  the  Chatham,  her  consort,  went 
upon  another  reef  farther  sriward.  After  a 
day  and  a  night  of  severe  hi))or,  the  Chatliani 
was  released,  having  sustained  but  comi)ara- 
tiveiy  little  damage. 

Our  own  ships  in  later  days  have  not  always 
been  so  fortunate.  The  Suwanee,  doul)le-ender, 
went  to  pieces  here  in  18(58,  though  all  on 
board  were  saved.  But  in  1873  the  steamer 
George  S.  Wrii2fht  struck  on  some  rocks  here, 
as  is  supposed  from  i)()rti()ns  of  wreck  which 
were  found  scattered  among  tht^  islands,  and  all 
on  board  were  lost.  She  was  bound  from  Sitka 
for  San  Francisco,  and  is  suf)posed  to  have 
struck  during  a  snow  storm.  Some  bodies 
22 


FOl.LOWlSa    VANCUUVKH'S    WAKK. 


23 


were  found  cast  {isliore  with  life  preservers  on, 
the  wearers  having  evidently  perislied  in  the 
water. 

Al)out  four  years  later,  a  Sound  Indian 
turned  up  who  represented  that  he  was  the  sole 
survivor  of  the  Wright  disaster.  His  story  was 
to  the  ert'ect  that  he  had  been  a  eoal-lieaver  on 
hoard  the  lost  steamer,  and  after  she  struek  he 
got  into  a  boat  along  witli  the  ea})tain,  pilot, 
and  some  soldiers.  They  made  land  and  built 
a  tire,  soon  after  which  a  party  of  Indians  ap- 
peared and  wei-e  oflered  live  hundred  dolhirs  by 
the  captain  to  take  the  castaways  to  Fort  Rupert, 
about  twentv-tive  miles  to  the  southward.  Tin; 
sole  survivor  went  on  to  relate  that  though  the 
Indians  appeared,  for  a  time,  to  entertain  the 
])roposition  favorably,  they  tinnlly  concluded  to 
kill  the  whites,  wliich  deteriniimtion  was  carried 
into  execution.  This  alleged  sole  survivor 
<>ave  as  a  reason  for  not  tellinir  his  storv  before, 
that  the  murderers  threatened  to  kill  his  father 
if  he  told  anything  al)out  it,  but  his  conscience 
tinally  impelled  him  to  make  the  revelation. 
Ft  was  a  good  story  and  it  found  man}'  1)eli  av- 
ers. The  accused  Indians  were  arrested  hy  the 
British  authorities,  and  were  in  a  fair  way  to  be 
hanged,  when  it  was  proven  beyond  question 
that  the   alleged  sole   survivor  was   serviu"-  a 


■Mi 


lit 


III 


24 


A    TRIP    TO  ALASKA. 


term  in  tlie  Victoria  jail  at  the  time  of  the 
Wriirht  disaster.  His  motive  for  iiiventinir  the 
charge  Mirainst  the  accused  was  reveno-e. 

(Crossing  Queen  Charlotte's  Sound  we  enter 
Fitzhugh's  Sound,  after  passing  up  which 
ahout  a  mile  we  come  upon  another  interesting 
locality,  Safety  C.^ove,'  where  Vancouver  an- 
chored his  ships  for  a  few  days'  rest  and  repair, 
after  months  of  hardships  and  dangers.  Safety 
Cove  is  about  an  eighth  of  a  mile  across  at  the 
mouth,  and,  maintaining  nearly  im  equal  width 
all  the  wa}',  extends  back  into  the  mountains 
for  a  mile.  The  hills  on  either  side  rise  precip- 
itously to  the  height  of  at  least  a  thousand  feet, 
covered  with  a  growth  of  spruce,  pine,  and 
cedar  that  is  almost  impenetrable.  About  two- 
thirds  of  the  distance  u[)  tiie  Cove,  on  the  north 
side,  a  stream  of  water  tumbles  down  the  bank 
so  conveniently  that  the  breakers  in  the  ship's 
boats  may  be  filled  without  the  men  going 
ashore.  It  is  pure,  ice-cold  water  from  the  top 
of  the  snowy  mountain.  At  the  head  of  this 
cove  a  large  stream  puts  in  from  a  low  opening. 
The  Cove  is  as  smooth  and  bright  on  the  surface 
as  a  mirror,  and  with  the  framework  of  dark 
ffreen  surroundinij  it  and  the  ''  Rush  "  ridino^  in 
the  centre,  the  only  sign  of  civilization  in  this 
provincial  wilderness,  a  lovelier  picture  could  not 


m 


FOLLOWING    VANCOUVER'S   WAKE. 


25 


be  conjured  .by  the  liveliest  inuigination.  The 
sun,  which  did  not  set  till  eight  o'clock,  could 
not  be  seen  in  the  Cove,  but  down  across  Fitz- 
liugh's  Sound  he  glanced  his  hist  rays  from  the 
summits  of  snow-capped  mountains,  throwing 
pink  upon  the  snow  and  purple  and  crimscm 
shades  amon^r  the  brown  and  dark  <(reen  of  hill 
and  vale  in  richest  profusion. 

The  men  not  on  duty  caught  a  plentiful 
supply  of  flounders  here.  Among  other  hands 
on  board  the  "  Rush  "  were  some  Japanese  boys, 
two  of  whom  were  emplo3'ed  in  the  ward  room 
and  one  in  the  cabin.  The  captain's  boy  was 
the  first  to  haul  up  a  wonderful  rish  or  reptile 
with  spotted  skin,  long  tapering  tail,  and  a  full 
set  of  teeth  like  a,  section  of  an  ivory  comb. 
The  tish,  which  had  no  scales,  was  provided 
with  openings  for  gills  under  the  pectoral  fins. 
On  the  head  was  a  curved  sort  of  horn  or  clamp 
on  a  hinge,  the  outer  end  of  which,  concave  and 
armed  with  sharp  teeth  or  points,  rested  in  a 
socket,  j^s  the  cabin  boy  raised  this  horn  to 
examine  the  curiosity,  it  took  the  end  off  his 
finger,  and  he  prosecuted  his  scientific  investi- 
gations no  further. 

The  doctor  could  not  identify  this  strange 
fish,  which  would  weigh  about  four  pounds, 
his  authorities  on  ichthyology  being   silent  on 


26 


A   TRIP   TO  ALASKA. 


'h       itj 


the  subject,  but  "JNIike"  says  they  are  called 
"  rat  lisli "  ji  name  that  would  apj)ear  to  be  ap- 
plied in  ('()nso((uenc'c  of  the  peculiar  formation 
of  tail  and  teeth.  The  fish  had  })rominent  eyes, 
irenerallv  dark  blue,  but  in  some  shades  of  lifjht 
a  brilliant  ^'reen. 

At  intervals  all  throuiih  these  inland  waters 
may  be  seen  Indian  l)urial  places,  if  "  burial"  is 
a  proper  word  to  use  in  this  connection.  The 
Indians  of  British  Columbia  are  cremators, 
and  the  places  where  the  ashes  of  their  dead  are 
dei)osited  are  remai'kable  for  the  care  with 
which  they  are  preserved  juid  decorated.  Indian 
sepulchres  may  be  seen,  sometimes  one  or  two 
in  a  phice,  on  a  prominent  headland,  marked 
Avith  circuhir  boards  or  with  cloth  stretched  on 
hoops,  looking  at  the  distance  of  a  thousand 
yards,  like  turrets.  A  flag  is  occasionally  set 
near  bv  as  if  still  more  stron<»lv  to  attract 
attention. 

One  of  the  most  remarkable  burial  places  in 
British  Colum1)ia,  on  this  route,  is  in  Mc- 
Laughlin's Bay  at  a  Hudson  Bay  trading  port 
called  Bella  Bella.  Here  the  houses  which  con- 
tain the  sacred  ashes  of  the  dead  are  numerous, 
and  about  half  a  dozen  spots  are  marked  and 
decorated  as  the  tombs  of  chiefs.  When  we 
passed  that  point  on  the  morning  after  leaving 


FOLLOWING    VA NCOU VKR  'S    WA  KE. 


27 


Sjifotv  Cove,  flairs  wero  flvinir  in  the  (.'emetcrv 
as  if  it  were  Memorial  I>ay,  and  it  is  said  that 
lliesc  decorations  are  renewed  us  often  as  carried 
away  or  destroyed  by  tlie  eI(Mnents.  There  is  also 
(juite  an  extensive  Indian  village  at  liella  Bella. 

(ianie  would  appear  to  be  scarce  hereabouts, 
but  it  must  exist  somewhere  in  the  hills,  for 
deer  skins  are  sent  out  on  steamers  and  tradinir 
vessels.  From  the  deck  of  the  steamer  the 
timber  on  all  sides  of  the  islands,  as  at  Safety 
Cove,  appears  too  dense  to  offer  good  range  for 
deer,  yet  venison  is  found  in  places.  After 
ijettinir  in  amon<r  the  thousands  of  islands 
between  Victoria  and  this  point  we  have  seen 
but  few  birds  or  fish.  A  fin- back  whale 
preceded  us  into  Seymours  Narrows,  as  if 
cunningly  enticing  us  to  our  destruction,  dis- 
appearing as  soon  as  we  were  so  far  advanced 
as  to  make  return  or  backout  impossible,  and 
on  the  day  after  a  shark  skimmed  the  surface 
contentedly  along  side,  but  animal  life  above 
the  surface  of  the  waters  is  not  plentiful. 

In  August  1792,  Vancouver  wrote  of  a  point 
on  the  mainland  in  latitude  iiftv-two  deirrees, 
three  minutes  as  follows  :  — 

"Thi§  rendezvous  was  about  thirty-seven  miles  from 
the  station  of  tlie  vessels  (Safety  Cove)  in  as  desolate, 
inhospitable  a  country  as  the  most  melancholy  creature 


28 


A    THIP   TO  ALASKA. 


!l 


Hi 


I  :^l 


I 

ill!  ! 

ill' 

^ 

Iti. 


could  he  desirous  of  inluibitinfi:.  The  caglo,  crow,  and 
ravon  that  occasionally  had  borne  us  company  in  our 
lonely  researches  visit('d  not  these  dreary  shores.  The 
common  shell  lish,  sUch  as  muscles,  clams,  and  cockles, 
and  the  nettle,  samphire  and  other  coarse  vegetables 
that  had  been  so  highly  essential  to  our  health  and 
maintenance  in  all  our  former  (excursions,  were  scarcely 
found  to  exist  here;  and  the  ruins  of  one  miserable  hut, 
near  where  we  had  lodi^^ed  the  preceding  night,  was  the 
only  indication  we  saw  that  human  beings  ever  re- 
sorted to  the  c(juntry  before  us." 

The  chief  attractions  of  the  latter  portion  of 
our  run  one  day  were  among  mountains  rising 
abruptly  from  one  to  four  thousand  feet  in 
height,  down  which  rush  roaring  cataracts  from 
the  melting  snows  above.  IMany  of  these 
streams  fall  down  the  faces  of  ruirjred  granite 
cliffs  which  cut  the  water  into  fine  spray  and 
mist.  In  others  the  water  spreads  out  in  a 
thin,  smooth  sheet  like  a  broad  ribbon  of  white 
satin.  Again  it  appears  as  spun  glass  of  the 
finest  quality.  Frequently  a  foaming  torrent 
tuml)les  over  among  huge  boulders  at  the 
mouths  of  caiions  so  low  in  grade  as  to  afford 
a  chance  for  salmon  to  ascend.  In  such  places 
fishing  may  be  prosecuted  in  season  with  satis- 
factory results.  Tlie  sides  of  the  mountains  in 
many  places  show  deep  scars,  bearing  silent 
testimony  to  past  land  slides,  which,  for  thou- 


FOLLOW  IS  a    lAXCOil'Kh'S    WAKE. 


29 


sands  of  feet  in  leiiglli  Jiiid  limidreds  of  yards  in 
hreadtli,  increasing  in  width  as  tiiey  descended, 
had  swept  down  the  forests  and  stripi)ed  the 
thin  soil  from  the  rocks  which  now  stand  out 
like  flesidess  hones. 

For  purely  artistic  beauty,  however,  Gran- 
ville channel  exceeds  anything  yet  seen  on  this 
cruise  among  the  untamed  beauties  of  nature  on 
hind  and  water.  Imagine  an  avenue  of  clear, 
cahn  water,  straight  as  a  transit  road  live  miles 
in  length,  a  (juarter  of  a  mile  across  at  the  eastern 
end  and  running  down  to  a  tapering  point  closed 
up  completely  and  thoroughly,  as  it  a{)pears  by 
a  bold  mountain  two  thousand  feet  in  height. 
The  mountains  on  cithcy  side  are  e(]ually  high, 
all  making  sharp  lines,  green,  low  down  with 
spruces,  which  also  appear,  but  scatteringly,  on 
tlie  snow-crowned  summits.  The  regularity  of 
the  channel  so  far  as  it  is  in  sight,  the  varied 
lines  of  the  mountains  and  tiie  unbroken  still- 
ness, except  the  regular  thumping  of  the 
steamer's  engines,  altogether  form  an  enchant- 
ing scene.  Of  course  when  we  get  to  the 
mountain  at  the  western  terminus,  which  we 
do  as  daylight  gives  way  to  darkness,  there  is  a 
passage  out,  and  at  a  quarter  past  nine  P.  M. 
we  anchor  in  seventeen  fathoms  for  the  night, 
in  Lowe's  Inlet,  and  go  to  sleep  to  the  droning 


|i     ii' 


rr 


i  I 


'M) 


A    TRIP    TO  ALA.^KA. 


souiul  of  the  catiiract  on  shore,  into  which  an 
arrow  might  bo  shot  from  the  deck  of  tlic 
steamer. 

On  tlie  next  morning  we  obtain  our  llrst 
view  of  Alaska,  Cape  Fox  l)eing  visible  for  a 
short  time.  In  tlie  afternoon  we  let  go  anchor 
ut  Port  iSimpson,  stil!  in  British  Columbia. 

Of  the  character  of  the  country  through  which 
■we  had  been  passing  for  a  week,  no  i)erson  can 
form  any  conception  froui  ordinary  maps.  AVe 
had  been  spending  days  and  travelling  hundreds 
of  miles  amonu:  islands  innumerable,  and  chan- 
nels  in  every  direction,  narrow  sometimes,  so 
that  a  pistol  ball  might  be  fired  across,  and  yet 
hundreds  of  fathoms  in  depth.  There  are  thou- 
sands of  passages  into  which  we  do  not  enter, 
because  our  o])ject  is  to  pursue  the  most  direct 
course  through  the  country,  juid,  doubtless, 
many  of  them  have  been  only  sui)erlicially  sur- 
veyed. Their  number  and  magnitude  in  some 
cases,  as  the  Straits  of  Fuca,  Gulf  of  Georgia, 
Queen  Charlotte's  Sound  an<l  others,  are  won- 
derful. It  seems  as  if  the  Alnii<»htv  had  here 
shattered  the  mountains  with  an  omnipotent 
sledge  for  a  thousand  miles  and  turned  the 
waters  of  the  sea  to  How  ;imon<2:  the  fraufments. 
It  is  a  wonderful  country  to  look  at,  and  if 
situated  so  as  to  be  available  for  Sunday  excur- 


FOLLOWISU    VANlJOUVKirs    WAKE. 


31 


sions  from  u  iiivjit  city  or  n  iiimilKT  of  ^ri't'Jit 
cities,  it  niii»'iil,  ix'  put  to  soino  pr()til!il)l('  use. 
For  any  other  purpose  it  luis  very  few,  if  any 
reconiuKiudutions  at  present.  Tiie  timber  grows 
OH  a  thin,  sklniiv  soil  at  l)est,  and  often  onlv 
hohls  on  by  roots  in  ereviees  of  the  rocks.  Tiic 
cliiuate  is  wet,  cold,  an<l  cheerles-^,  and  vegeta- 
tion, tiiougii  it  may  grow,  does  not  mature. 
V.wn  the  ofroater  i)()rtion  of  the  timl)er  seems  to 
die  young.  The  country  has  attractions  for  the 
artist  and  possibly  for  the  scientist,  but  it  will 
probably  remain  in  possession  of  the  Indians 
for  many  generations,  if  not  for  all  time.  Jus- 
tice would  now  seem  to  re(|uire  that  the  Indians 
should  be  permitted  to  remain  in  undisturbed 
l)osscssion  of  these  islands  of  lU'itish  Columbia. 
Of  course,  if  valuable  mineral  or  other  products 
should  be  discovered  here  that  would  be  quite  a 
ditlcrent  thing. 

Port  Simi)S()n  is  a  Hudson  Bay  trading  post 
where  steamers  plying  between  Victoria  and 
Wrangel  or  Sitka  sometimes  touch.  There  is 
no  post-office  here,  and  letters  are  only  for- 
warded as  uncertain  opportunities  permit.  It 
is  like  many  another  settlement  which  we  have 
seen  during  the  past  week.  One  of  the  most 
remarkable  of  these  is  Duncan's  ]\Iission  at 
Mctlahcatlah  in  Chatham's  Sound,  about  fifteen 
miles  from  Port  Simpson. 


32 


A    Tliir   TO  ALASKA. 


M 


In  18')8  Duncm  was  sent  to  Port  Simpson  as 
a  iiiissioiiarv,  and  .soon  afterward,  having  sonio 
disa<ri't'tunt'nt  with  the  Hudson  Hay  Coini)any's 
aircnt  at  that  place,  lio  moved  down  to  Metlah- 
catlah,  intendinu:  to  take  all  of  the  Indians  with 
him,  but  the  company  hrouiiht  liev.  ]Mr. 
Crosby  out  and  saved  about  half  of  them. 
Duncan,  however,  built  up  a  settlement  and 
pr()si)ered  in  more  ways  than  one.  lie  has  a 
snuir  town  in  which  there  is  a  church,  a  semi- 
nary,  a  jail,  and  a  ijreat  many  adjuncts  of 
civilization,  if  not  all  the  modern  imi)rovements. 
He  is  a  magistrate,  and  has  Indian  constaldes  to 
execute  his  Avarrants  and  enforce  his  decrees. 
lie  will  not  tolerate  whiskey  or  outside  traders 
within  his  jurisdiction,  but  does  some  outside 
trading  himself.  It  is  reported  that  he  gets  the 
better  of  Uncle  Sam  to  the  extent  of  twenty 
thousand  dollars  or  thirty  thousand  dollars  a 
3'ear  by  sending  his  Indians  with  goods  up  some 
of  the  inland  pas.:iigcs  to  trade  with  the  Alaskan 
natives,  b}'  which  smuggling  our  revenues  are 
made  to  suffer.  At  all  events,  whether  true  or 
false,  Duncan  has  the  reputation  of  being  a 
prosperous  and  successful  missionary. 

"Mike,"  our  pilot,  attempted  to  land  some 
whiskey  at  Metlahcatlah  some  years  airo,  before 
he  experienced  a  change,  but  he  says  Duncan's 


FOLLOWING    VANCOUVFirs    W'.IKK. 


33 


police  ran  him  out.  Possibly  if  lie  could  have 
got  ashore  tlicrc  with  enouirh  whisl^cy  to  run 
tlie  place  tor  tlirce  days,  tiie  mission  might 
have  been  wipcid  out  and  Duncan  would  have 
l)ccn,  before  tliis,  seeking  proselytes  among 
nations  further  removed  from  the  retining  intlu- 
cnce  of  civilization,  or  in  some  secret  nook 
unknown  to  the  alcoliolie  corsair  of  the  western 
isles.  As  it  is,  both  "Mike"  and  Duncan  arc 
now  good  citizens,  and  if  the  missionary  is  the 
richer  in  lliis  world's  goods  the  pilot  is  an 
inexhaustible  mine  of  interesting  reminiscences 
of  contraband  cruisings  before  he  experienced  a 
change. 

Port  Simpson  was  established  by  the  Hudson 
Bay  Company  in  1829,  and  has  seen  many  wars 
with  the  native  tribes,  but  it  still  lives — an 
important  post  of  the  company.  It  is  now  a 
general  rendezvous  for  various  tribes,  but  is 
located  on  the  lands  of  the  Tonmiss.  The 
objects  of  greatest  interest  here  at  the  present 
time  are  "potlatch"  poles,  which  average  about 
twenty  feet  in  height,  and  are  carved  near  the 
base  in  grotesque  figures  of  monsters  bearing 
columns  upon  their  heads.  Some  of  the  col- 
unnis  have  the  figures  of  beasts  set  vertically 
on  top,  but  the  prevailing  idea  is  of  monstrous 
faces  carved  below.     These  have  an  idolatrous 


I 


) 

j 


:;4 


A   TRIP   TO  ALASKA. 


air  about  them,  and  are  not  in  favor  with  Mr. 
Crosl)}^  the  missionary,  who  is  having  them 
removed  as  fast  as  possible.  In  a  short  time 
they  will  all  have  disapi)eared  and  carried  with 
tliem  whatever  of  traditional  meaning  they  may 
have  for  the  Aborigines,  Avho  will  also  disap})ear 
in  a  few  generations,  or  would  under  American 
inHiiences.  It  is  the  policy  of  the  Hudson  Bay 
Company,  however,  to  preserve  the  Indian,  for 
on  his  laboi's  that  corporation  thrives. 


CHAPTER  IV. 


CANOES  AND  CARVED  POLES. 


rpHE  Hrst  iinchoragc  made  by  the  "Rush"  in 
-■-  Aiaskan  waters,  on  this  cruise,  was  in 
Karta  or  Kassan  Bay,  before  the  viUage  of  the 
Ind'an  Chief  Scowl,  on  Prince  of  Wales  Island. 
This  is  one  of  the  most  interesting  Indian  vil- 
lages on  this  coast  for  several  reasons,  most 
prominent  of  which  are  that  Sc^owl  is  cliief  of 
all  tlie  Ilyda  Indians,  lieadquarters  of  the  tribe 
being  on  Prince  of  Wales,  and  his  viUage  eon- 
tains  the  niost  extensive  and  elaborately  carved 
l)oles,  of  which  brief  mention  was  made  in  the 
preceding  chai)ter. 

Old  Scowl  is  now  totally  ])lind  and  nearly 
(loaf,  but  he  a[)pears  to  be  the  remains  of  a  once 
l)hysically  powerful  man,  and  ho  long  wielded 
unquestioned  authority  in  his  widely  extended 
tribe.  The  Hvdas  are  irreat  hunters  aivl  fishers, 
and  at  the  time  of  our  visit  the  chief  village 
was  almost  deserted,  the  inhabitants  beinir 
away  sejd  hunting  out  beyond  Queen  Charlotte's 
Island. 

35 


fffp-" 


i 


.a 


M 

h.' 

m 


i 


s 

1;! 

if 

ll 

'  >f 

1 

t 
f 

1 

36 


A  TRIP  TO  ALASKA. 


These  Indians  of  the  Northwest  coast  dift'er 
as  much  in  appearance  as  in  customs  from  those 
of  the  phiins.  The  buffalo  eaters  are  a  hardy 
race  of  strong,  muscuhir  men,  with  the  piercing 
eyes,  high  cl)eck-l)ones,  and  aquiline  noses  of  a 
Avarlike  people.  The  ITydas,  Tsimpsiens,  Ton- 
gass,  and  others  of  thi;  region,  from  Puget 
Sound  to  Sitka,  have  round,  fat  faces  with  dull 
expression,  indicative  of  anything  but  bravery 
and  ambition.  The  Sioux  live  principally  >»\ 
buffalo  meat,  and  take  an  abundance  of  rough 
exercise  on  horseback  over  mountain  and  plain. 
The  Ilydas  and  their  kind  paddle  or  drift 
around  with  the  tides  in  canoes,  live  on  fish, 
and  become  oil}'  and  lazy  looking.  The  habits 
and  diet  of  both  classes  reveal  themselves  in 
form  and  face,  the  meat  eaters  being  tall  iim\ 
lean,  as  a  rule,  the  fish  eaters  fat  and  squatty. 

The  canoe  is  the  sole  means  of  locomotion 
here.  All  the  "trails"  are  by  water,  and  the 
canoes  of  this  people  are  wonderful  specimens 
of  savage  naval  architecture.  The  Il^das  make 
the  best  and  lari^est  canoes  in  this  section  of  the 
coast.  At  Port  Simpson  "dug-outs,"  from 
forty  to  fifty  feet  in  length,  are  quite  common, 
and  some  are  much  loncfer.  One  taken  .u>  the 
Centennial  A\as  eighty  feet  in  length  iii.v.  so 
deep  that  men  sitting  in  it  were  concealed  from 


v-v 


;.»' 


'3    ..;••■ 


CANOES  AND   (JARVEl)  POLES. 


37 


It^W 


view  up  to  their  shouldors.  The  canoes  are 
duii*  and  l)urncd  out,  each  l)cing  constructed  of 
a  cedar  log,  which,  after  tiie  excavation,  is 
spread  open  till  tiiorouiiidy  ch-ied  in  that  posi- 
tion. They  arc  all  constructed  on  one  model, 
hcing  a  sinii)le  curve  at  the  stern,  the  jirow 
sticking  sharply  from  the  water  jind  projecting 
upward  and  outward  in  a  graceful  form,  after 
the  stvle  of  ancient  lloman  and  Grecian  war 
galleys  as  we  see  them  pictured  in  books. 

AVitli  ten,  fifteen,  twenty  or  forty  paddles  on 
a  side  (the  Centennial  canoe  carried  the  latter 
number  when  fully  manned),  these  "dug-outs" 
are  propelled  through  the  water  at  a  rate  equal 
to  two  miles  for  any  ship  boat's  ore.  Port 
Simpson  is  headquarters  for  the  canoe  trade, 
whole  fleets  beini>-  brouij^ht  in  at  times  for  sale 
as  at  fairs  or  markets  in  great  commercial  cities. 
At  times  a  fleet  of  new  "dui>:-outs"  ^o  paddlinij 
into  the  harbor  where  they  arc  to  be  sold,  in 
the  form  of  a  great  crescent  within  the  bay,  and 
are  brought  to  tiie  beach  amid  chanting  and 
shouting  and  general  demonstrat'ons,  intended 
to  give  importance  to  the  occasion. 

These  sales  attract  Indian^  fiom  the  surround- 
ing country  to  Port  himpson  where  considerable 
property  changes  hands  in  consequence,  some 
canoes  selling  as  hiirh  as  $100  in  blankets  and 


vmrf 


r 


iiijii,. 


>» 


II 


38 


A   TRIP   TO  ALASKA. 


other  coniniodities.  They  represent  u  vast 
amount  of  patient  hihor,  and  skill,  to  a  certain 
extent.  They  are  swift,  <>rac'eful,  and  })uoyant, 
Ijut  are  liable  to  split  l)y  the  force  of  a  blow  or 
under  a  severe  strain. 

A  few  years  ago,  Mr.  AMlliamson,  who  was 
at  that  time  aijent  for  the  Hudson  l)av  Com- 
pan}  at  Port  Simpson,  went  over  to  Queen 
Charlt!  Island,   about    forty  miles    distant, 

making  ^ae  outward  voyage  in  safety.  In 
returning,  however,  he  experienced  heavy 
Aveather.  His  crew  consisted  of  five  Indians, 
and  when  about  ten  miles  out  they  turned  and 
attempted  to  go  back  to  the  island.  The  sea 
became  rougher  with  each  blast  of  the  gale,  .and 
finally,  growing  des])erate,  the  voN'agers  hoisted 
sail  and  concluded  to  try  to  run  in  as  soon  as 
possible,  delay  seeming  to  make  their  situation 
more  perilous  each  instant.  AVhile  thus  buifet- 
ing  the  waves  the  canoe  split  from  stem  to 
stern,  and,  of  course,  all  of  its  occupants  were 
thrown  into  the  sea. 

Even  under  these  circumstances,  while  being 
buffeted  by  tremendous  billows,  the  Indians 
succeeded  in  passing  some  kelp  cordage  around 
the  wreck,  and  thus  formed  a  raft  which  held 
all  up.  The  cokl,  however,  was  so  severe, 
with  the  drenching  water,  that  Mr.  Williamson 


I: 


% 


CANOES  AXD   CARVED  POLES. 


39 


soon  succiiml)ed,  and  laying  oft*  his  hat,  oftered 
a  short  prayer  and  slid  into  the  sea.  One  l)y 
one  the  crew  departed  in  a  similar  manner,  ex- 
eept  a  solitary  Indian,  who,  after  four  days, 
reached  shore  in  a  famishing  condition. 

Yet  the  Indians  on  tlie  coast  venture  out 
thirty  to  forty  miles  from  land  in  their  canoes 
when  hunting  the  fur  seal,  which,  when  travel- 
ing north,  keeps  well  out  to  sea. 

At  Karta,  "i)otlatch"  poles  from  a  foot  to 
four  feet  in  diameter  .  i  the  hase,  and  from  fif- 
teen to  sixty  and  even  seventy-tive  feet  in 
Jieight,  have  been  erected  to  commemorate  one 
or  another  important  event  in  the  history  of  a 
family.  At  Port  Simpson  a  pole  with  a  carved 
tigure  of  a  wolf,  life  size,  on  top  and  a  veritable 
gun  strapped  near  the  effigy,  was  erected  in 
memory  of  a  hunter  who  perished  while  in  the 
mountains  on  one  of  his  expeditions,  during  a 
severe  snow-storm.  Other  poles  commemorate 
similar  events  ;  but  the  greater  number  represent 
quite  anotiier  sort  of  afl'air  which  I  believe  is 
peculiar  to  the  Indians  of  this  coast. 

It  is,  or  was,  the  custom  amonir  the  Hvdas, 
on  the  occasion  of  the  erection  of  a  new  house, 
and  all  here,  as  at  Port  Simpson,  live  in  wooden 
))uildinirs,  to  jjive  what  miirht  be  called  a  "warm- 
ing."     Upon    taking   possession    of    the    new 


rTTT 


I 


M 


i 


40 


A   TL'fP   TO  ALASKA. 


|:': 


premises  the  proprietor  celebrates  the  event  by 
a  "potlutcli"  feast  (Cliinock  word  for  iiift),  und 
a  carved  pole  is  erected  to  murk  the  event. 
One  of  the  greatest  things  a  Ilyda  can  do  is  to 
give  away  more  than  his  neighbors.  The  gifts 
consist  principally  of  blankets,  which  are  dis- 
tributed by  the  hundred  when  they  can  be  ob- 
tained, and  it  is  not  uncommon  for  these  Indians 
to  bestow  all  of  their  Avorldly  goods  in  that 
manner,  leaving  them  poor  forever  afterward. 
For  carving  the  poles  twent}*,  thirty,  and  as 
high  as  fifty  blankets,  w^orth  about  two  dolhirs 
each,  have  been  paid. 

Rank  and  title  among  these  Indians  descend 
not  in  a  line  from  father  to  son,  but  from  uncle 
to  nephew,  a  system  of  nepotism  calculated  to 
secure  rotation  in  office.  In  order  tluit  a 
nephew  may  succeed  to  the  honors  and  dignities 
of  the  mother's  brother  he  must,  on  taking  his 
place  at  the  head  of  the  tribe,  or  family,  dis- 
tribute or  pay  to  his  uncle's  surviving  relatives 
goods  of  a  value  equal  to  those  given  on  the 
occasion  of  the  erection  of  the  family  tree. 
Any  young  man  of  spirit  would  naturally  be 
urged  and  stimulated  for  the  accomplishment  of 
this  purpose  to  put  forth  every  exertion  to  ob- 
tain the  amount  of  wealth  necessar}'  to  secure 
his  title.     And  this  has  led,  in  late  years,  to  the 


CANOES  AND  (JAliVED  POLES. 


41 


adoption  of  means,  not  creditable  to  the  Hyda 
man  nor  elevating  to  the  woman  over  whom  he 
exercised  complete  control.  It  was  with  a  view 
of  putting  a  sto})  to  these  demoralizing  prac- 
tices that  the  missionaries  have  discouraged  the 
ereetion  and  i)rescrvation  of  the  "potlatch" 
poles.  If  the  heir  apparent  fails  to  distribute  a 
sufficient  quantity  of  goods  to  entitle  him  to 
take  rank  as  the  head  of  the  family,  some  other 
member,  more  successful,  or  more  ambitious, 
may  produce  the  blankets  tind  walk  oil*  with 
the  honors. 

At  Port  Simpson  and  at  Metlahcatlah  the 
missionaries  have  effected  encouraffins:  results 
and  achieved  considerable  success  among  the 
Indians,  but  old  Scowl,  chief  of  the  Ilydas, 
frowns  down  all  preachers  who  approach  his 
possessions.  Two  preachers  attempted  to  make 
a  beginning  among  the  Ilydas  a  few  years  ago, 
))ut  they  were  politely  informed  that  if  they  did 
not  go  away  they  would  be  killed.  They  did 
not  remain.  Consequently  Scowl's  people  not 
only  retain  their  ''potlatch"  poles,  but  they 
enjoy  some  other  privileges  which  no  conscien- 
tious missionary  could  approve,  and  at  least  one 
of  which  is  not  in  harmony  with  the  spirit  of 
our  laws  since  the  war. 

The  Hydas   own   slaves,   and    have    owned 


Tl 


42 


A    THII'    TO   M.ASKA. 


them  since  the  ineniory  of  man  runneth  not  to 
the  contmiy.  The  orii»inal  stock  of  slaves 
generally  consisted  of  chikh-en  captured  in  war- 
fare, whose  })()sterity  remained  in  a  condition 
of  i)ondai>e.  Slaves  have  l)een  sold  by  these 
more  northern  tribes  to  the  Indians  of  Puget 
Sound,  and  the  power  over  such  chattels  has 
been  so  comi)lete  that  they  have  been  killed  out 
of  compliment  to  or  rc<>'ard  for  a  dvinir  master, 
and  the  women  have  ])ecn  leased  out  for  evil 
purposes.  Old  Scowl  has  slaves  now,  and,  as 
he  is  believed  to  be  on  his  last  leirs,  the  wisest 
thiiiii'  thev  could  do  would  be  to  emiij^rate  to 
the  land  of  the  free,  farther  east. 

When  a  Ilyda  chief  dies  it  is  sui)posed  he 
will  need  servants  in  the  felicitous  tishinir  fields, 
and  that  the  best  way  to  secure  them  is  to  take 
them  with  him.  The  records  of  the  Hudson 
Bay  Company  at  Port  Simpson  show,  that  in 
1842  on  one  occasion  the  aircnt  visited  a  dyin^j 
man  of  some  note  and  entered  the  place  where 
he  lay  just  in  time  to  find  him  engaged  in  an 
attempt  to  strangle  his  nephe\v.  The  agent 
rescued  the  l)oy  and  took  him  into  the  post, 
where  he  was  kept  till  after  the  departure  of 
the  spirit  of  his  kingly  uncle.  Then  came  the 
mother  of  the  lad  and  demanded  compensation 
of  the  company  for  the  annoyance  and  incon- 


CANOES  AND  CARVED  POLES. 


41] 


vcniciu'C  to  wliidi  her  dopfirted  brother  would 
ho  i)iit  in  the  other  world,  by  reason  of  not 
liuving  the  spirit  of  her  son  servilely  attendant 
upon  his  ghostly  majesty.  The  company  i)aid 
for  that  interferenee  in  family  affairs. 

Uude  as  these  peoi)le  may  l)e  considered  by 
})ersons  of  artitieial  culture,  it  must  be  said  in 
their  favor  that  all  men  have  a  commercial  value 
in  their  eyes,  and  accidental  insurance  is  one  of 
the  things  that  they  believe  in.  If  one  or 
twenty  of  these  Indians  are  hired  for  labor  they 
must  be  returned  or  paid  for,  some  costing  as 
much  as  one  hundred  dollars.  Many  years  aijfo, 
when  the  Russians  were  in  [)ossession  of  Alaska, 
a  Frenchman  came  out  to  open  up  the  fur  trade 
and  add  to  the  commercial  importance  of  his 
))rilliant  nation.  He  hired  a  lot  of  Sitka  In- 
dians to  hunt  seals  and  moved  down  about 
(^ueen  Charlotte's  to  commence  operations.  lie 
put  his  Indians  ashore  there,  where  twenty- 
three  of  them  were  killed  by  the  Ilydas  and 
nine  in  another  place.  AVhen  he  returned  to 
Sitka  he  paid  two  hundred  dollars  apiece  for 
the  missing  Indians,  according  to  contract,  and 
had  a  grand  total  of  sixt3'-three  sealskins  worth 
about  tive  dollars  each  as  the  result  of  his 
cruise.  Then  he  sailed  for  La  Belle  France 
with  rather  a  poor  opinion  of  the  country. 


I 


44 


A    Tfiir   TO  ALASKA. 


The  womon  of  these  trihes  hjive  their  foihles, 
Jis  other  women  have,  jukI  as  tliey  difler  some- 
what from  Avhat  appears  farther  east  and  south- 
ward, it  niav  he  well  to  mention  some  items. 
Tliey  do  not  parade  to  any  great  extent  in 
sealskin  saeques  or  other  fine  fur,  a  faet  whieh 
may  he  due,  at  least  in  part,  to  early  teachings. 
The  Hudson  Bay  Company,  which  first  intro- 
duced manners,  things,  and  ideas  of  civilization 
among  these  Indians,  forbade  their  employes 
wearing  furs  under  any  circumstances,  as  it  was 
found  if  thev  made  use  of  such  articles  in  their 
wearing  apparel  the  Indians  would  imitate 
them,  and  good  furs  would  thus  be  wasted  as  it 
were,  and  there  would  be  nothing  in  the  country 
worth  trading  for.  And  now  calico  and  blan- 
kets are  more  worn  by  Ilyda  women  than 
furs. 

What  they  lack  in  skins,  however,  they  make 
up  in  jewelry.  They  wear  rings  upon  their 
fingers,  in  their  ears,  and  in  their  noses.  But 
they  have  another  sort  of  ornament  which  is 
peculiar  to  the  squaws  on  this  coast.  On  ar- 
riving at  the  age  of  womanhood  they  pierce  the 
lower  lip,  through  which  they  thrust  a  piece  of 
ivory  or  a  silver  pin  about  an  inch  long  and  as 
thick  as  a  knitting  needle.  Inside  the  mouth 
the  end  of  the  pin  is  fastened  to  a  plate  which 


CANOES  AND  CAliVED  POLES. 


45 


rests  ])ct'oro  tlic  gum.  Tliis  })iii  is  increased  in 
thickness  as  the  huly  advances  in  years,  till  it 
looks  as  if  the  entire  lip  had  ])ccn  torn  out  and 
Ih  '  hole  stopped  I»y  a  ))one.  'i'he  women  are 
iiuhistrious,  as  Indian  Avomen  ijfenerally  are, 
cicunina'  the  tish,  curing  skins,  hewing  wood, 
and  drawing  water.  They  make  a  cordage  of 
the  lil)re  of  nettles  (which  weed  they  use  for 
"greens"  also),  and  out  of  kelp,  which  is  found 
float  inn:  all  throudi  these  waters.  Mattinii:  is 
made  of  a  kind  of  grass,  and  one  species  of 
seaweed  is  dried  in  huge  blocks  a  foot  square 
and  two  to  three  inches  in  thickness,  forming  a 
staple  article  of  food. 

On  the  whole,  the  people  are  fat,  contented, 
and  hapi)y,  so  far  as  can  l)e  judged  from  general 
appearances,  and  though  ready  and  willing  to 
accept  anything  gratuitous  from  tobacco  to  old 
shoes,  they  volunteer  to  give  nothing ;  and 
when  they  sell  they  are  the  most  unscrupulous 
of  Shy  locks.  These  are  part  of  our  purchase 
from  Russia.  Higher  up  we  have  others  of  a 
dittercnt  but  equally  interesting  character. 


CHAPTER  V. 


WUANGEL    AND   SITKA. 


Tj^ORT  WKANGEL  is  sitiuitoa  on  an  island 
-*-  at  the  moiitii  of  Stickeen  river,  and  derives 
the  chief  part  of  its  connnereial  importance 
from  trade  with  miners  who  di<^  gold  in  British 
Colnmhia. 

It  is,  at  times,  what  is  called  a  *'  lively 
town,  made  so  particularly  when  the  miners 
come  down  in  the  fall.  Then  come  also  hun- 
dreds of  s(|uaws,  who  form  the  chief  attraction 
for  dance-houses.  About  eiaht  hundred  white 
men  and  three  hundred  Chinese  had  gone  up 
to  the  mines.  During  the  spring  before  and 
U[)  to  the  time  of  our  arrival,  squaws  were 
still  numerous,  but  about  three  hundred  of  them 
had  followed  the  miners.  Those  remaining 
"  loafed  "  around  the  stores,  the  younger  chew- 
ing gum  in  seminary  style,  the  elders  smoking 
black  pipes. 

There  are  a  number  of  stores  here  and  con- 
siderable   trade   is    done  with  Indians  in  furs. 

46 


VHASdKL   AND  SlTKA. 


47 


^\'llisk('y  is  !i  ('ontr.ilnmd  arliclc,  llioiiiih  plcntv 
of  rK|ii()!'  ill  Itoiid  is  ImikKmI  tVoin  N'ictoriji  and 
(niMsfcrriMl  to  river  stcaMU'i's  or  canoes  for  IIk* 
iiiiiK's.  Indians  ar(3  said  to  do  a  consideraljio 
amount  of  work  in  and  al)out  tlio  mines,  })aek- 
inir  ii'oods  aroinid  })ortaii;es,  etc. 

Wraniici  is  also  a  famous  j)Iaeo  for  tisli  of 
various  kinds,  hut  tiie  most  hiiiiily  prized  of  all 
tlie  tisiios  of  tlic  sea  in  tliis  ))art  of  the  world  is 
liie  oohean  or  "  candle  tish,"  like  a  smelt,  small, 
sweet,  and  verv  fat.  The  oil  oozes  from  them 
wJKMi  (hying,  and  wIkmi  dried  they  may  ho 
liiilited  and  will  hurn  like  a  candle.  For  voars 
Indians  have  made  piliirimaires  for  hundreds  of 
miles  from  the  interior,  for  the  ))urpose  of  tak- 
iiiii'  these  fish,  which  run  from  the  seii  into  fresh 
water  streams  durinn"  a  few  wc.'ks  in  the  sprinaf. 
They  are  thci.  raked  out  and  dried  or  preserved 
ill  hrine  for  future  use.  Formerly  the  oolican 
were  taken  at  the  mouth  of  the  Stickeen,  hut 
some  twenty  years  since  they  failed  and  then 
ihcy  could  he  ohtained  only  at  Nass  river,  near 
Port  Simpson,  liccently,  however,  the  oolican 
returned  in  countless  numhers. 

Life  at  Wranir^'l,  es})ecially  for  a  temporary 
sojourner,  has  its  drawbacks.  The  only  first- 
class  hotel  moves  up  to  the  mines  durinir  the 
summer,  and   there    is    no   other  class,  consc- 


48 


A    TRIP   TO  ALASKA. 


I 


h 


i  III 


quently  ucconiniodjilion  is  limited  to  empty, 
cheerless  cjibiiis,  or  the  hosv)italitv  of  friends. 

To  a  man  who  has  the  use  of  his  limbs  and 
likes  to  exercise  theni,  Wrunijel  nmst  always 
appear  tlie  most  olyectioiiahle  of  places  as 
atfordinir  the  least  possible  scope  for  locomotion. 
To  "walk''  along  the  beach  means  to  hop  from 
boulder  to  boulder,  and  a  "  ramble  "  throuirh  the 
woods  takes  the  shape  of  climbing  up  one  side 
of  h\<i  loo:s  and  slidinij:  or  fallinij  down  the 
other,  not  to  speak  of  such  little  difficulties  as 
iiiipenetrable  brambles  and  "devil's  clubs." 
The  inhabitants  of  this  locality  may,  howev- 
er, console  themselves  with  the  assurance  that 
professional  pedestrianism  Avill  never  reach 
them.  The  waters  of  the  bav  afford  an  oppor- 
tunity for  recreation  to  those  who  can  trust 
themselves  to  skittish  canoes,  ])ut  there  i>not 
a  "white"  boat  in  the  great  seaport  of  AVrin- 
gel. 

The  chief  amusement  in  which  the  visitor 
r>an  indulire,  is  to  watch  the  Indians  as  thev 
lounge  along  the  store  fronts,  or  saunter  leis- 
urely through  the  stragirling  town.  Blankets 
of  every  imagin.dde  pattern  and  hue  form  the 
outer  ijarment  of  the  adults,  the  clothini>-  of 
youths  and  children  being  more  a  mattej*  cf 
accident  than  choice,  and  now  and  tlien  we  meet 


WRAXGEL  AXD  SITKA, 


49 


a  young  boy  who  has  not  yet  ])cen  the  subject 
of  a  drapery  accident.  The  stores  are  <ien- 
erally  crowded  during  the  day,  but  it  would  be 
unsafe  to  draw  any  conchisions  as  to  tlie  state 
of  trade  from  the  iuunl)er  of  Indians  fringing 
the  counters.  They  hjive  a  way  of  looking  at 
goods  for  days  or  weeks  ahead,  talking  the 
matter  over  with  friends  or  in  family  conclave 
even  if  the  coveted  object  is  only  a  worsted 
i^carf  or  a  hat.  To  obtain  the  necessary  equiv- 
alent is  another  consideration,  involving  a  few 
days'  lal)or  at  chopping  or  packing,  or  a  jour- 
ney to  the  home  of  some  frien(i  or  creditor,  and 
when  at  last  the  preparations  arc  concluded,  the 
purchase  is  made  furtively,  and  often  without  a 
word  being  uttered  by  salesman  or  purchaser. 

The  arrival  of  large  parties  of  Indians  from 
distant  villages  always  causes  a  stir  in  "'  bus- 
iness circles."  The  traders  generally  have 
in  their  employ  some  hangers-on  who  are 
supposed  L/  induce  Indian  visitors  to  sell  their 
furs  accordins:  to  the  "  runner's"  recommenda- 
tion,  but  these  fellows,  as  a  rule,  are  not  to  be 
n^lied  upon.  The  "wild"  cistomers  know 
enoujjh  of  business  to  sell  onlv  to  the  hi<j:hest 
bidder.  They  pitch  their  camp  at  some  dis- 
tance from  the  town,  and  do  not  begin  to 
"trade"    until   visits   of    ceremony   have   been 


■•:'-»  I 

h4 


•■'I 


M 


f)?p 


i 


if 


60 


A   TRIP   TO  ALASKA. 


exchaiii»:e(l  with  resident  Iiidiims.  Individuals 
walk  into  town,  and,  with  one  or  two  skins 
tucked  away  under  their  I)hinket,  they  make  the 
round  of  the  stores.  One  of  these  fellows  will 
quietly  walk  up  to  the  counter  and  silently 
deposit  a  silver  fox  or  betiver  skin.  The  clerk 
picks  it  uj),  shakes  it,  smells  it,  rubs  it,  twist- 
ini>:  it  first  one  Avav  and  then  another,  then 
smooths  it  down  aiiain  on  the  counter  with  an 
air  of  cunnini^  and  shrewdness  beautiful  to  be- 
hold. At  last  he  utters  one  or  two  words  in 
"Chinook,"  or  some  Indian  dialect,  mentioning 
the  price.  The  dusk>'  operator  never  accepts  a 
lirst  otter,  but  silently  i)icks  up  the  skin,  con- 
ceals it  in  the  folds  of  his  blanket  and  stalks 
away.  In  the  next  store  the  performance  is 
re])eated,  and  days  are  often  spent  in  this  way 
before  a  barsfain  is  concluded.  It  is  safe  to 
assert  that  each  of  the  ten  store-keei)ers  of 
Wranii'cl  handk^s  and  appraises  every  skin 
broiii>!it  for  sale  in  this  way. 

DiU'erent  tactics  are  resorted  to,  however, 
when  some  chief  arrives  with  a  large  consiirn- 
ment  of  iurs,  the  fruit  of  a  year's  hunting  and 
trapping  l)y  his  slaves.  The  lucky  trader  who 
gets  such  a  prospective  prize  within  his  doors, 
resorts  to  almost  any  device  to  detain  the  cus- 
tomer and  his  precious   furs.     Several  of  the 


WR ANGEL  A XI)  SITKA. 


'}\ 


ytorc-koopcrs  have  ''private  tnulinii;  rooms," 
into  which  the  "rich  Indians"  jire  invited  and 
there  treated  to  f()(>d,  drink  and  t()i)acco  —  in 
some  cases,  it  is  said,  also  to  forbidden  alcoholic 
stimulants.  The  most  temptinii;  tirray  of  dry 
ooods  is  spread  upon  the  floor,  toiiclher  with 
tire-arms  and  annnunition  ;  presents  of  fmery  are 
judiciously  bestowed  upon  the  females  accom- 
])anvin!2:  the  chief;  candv  and  nuts  are  show- 
ered  upon  the  juveniles.  If  the  chief  has  not 
made  up  his  mind  when  evening  comes,  he  is 
loaded  with  canned  delicacies,  sweet  crackers, 
and  molasses,  and  returns  to  camp  to  feast  with 
his  "tilicums.''  Perha])s  the  followinij:  dav  the 
bargain  is  concluded  —  tin;  chief  receivin<>:  a 
hiirher  i)rice  for  his  furs  than  thev  would  briiiir 
in  Victoria  or  San   Francis(  lUit  how  does 

the  trader  live  bv  such  transactiims';'  That  is  ;i 
secret  of  the  Wrangel  "  merchant?^ ''  and  I  sludl 
not  give  it  awny. 

It  is  diflicult  to  surmise  what  AVrangel  would 
be  without  the  Indians,  but  even  the  most  ardent 
admirer  of  the  red-men  would  not  dare  to 
assert  that  life  is  made  more  pleasant  by  theii* 
presence.  They  lumber  u})  nearly  every  fool 
of  available  space,  squatting,  rrouching,  or 
lying  at  full  lengtii ;  they  carry  with  thein  an 
atmosphere  of  unpleasant  odors,  and  are  apt  to 


Iff 


^ 


i 


h«    I 


W 


MIS  ,  .1 


i 


52 


A   TRIP   TO  ALASKA. 


plant  themselves  upon  any  seat  within  their 
reach  with  the  greatest  unconcern.  Their 
clothes,  unless  just  from  the  store,  are  grimy 
enough  to  awaken  uncomfortable  suspicions, 
and  in  addition  to  all  this  they  are  constantly 
masticating,  during  the  suiiuner  months  a  kind 
of  wild  celery  with  a  very  strong  odor.  The 
squaws  bring  canoe-loads  of  it  from  the  woods 
every  morning,  and  by  noon  the  stoops  and 
side-walks  are  heaped  with  garbage,  and  the 
un[)leasant  scent  ascends  to  heaven. 

The  natives  at  Fort  Wransiel  are  all  ffood 
Indians,  "  friendly  disposed  toward  the  whites." 
Our  steamer  was  boarded  by  a  number  of  them 
Avhile  in  the  harbor,  bearing  certificates  of  good 
character.  The  most  noted  of  them  is  a  blind 
old  fellow  with  **  papers  "  from  all  the  officials 
who  have  been  in  the  country,  and  with  one 
from  the  captain  of  a  British  man-of-war  dating 
back  to  1853.  The  old  fellow  who  is  called 
Paul  Jones,  came  on  board,  desirous  of  obtain- 
ing a  berth  as  interpreter  for  a  gunboat.  The 
Indians  here  have  a  hiirh  re«'ard  for  gunboats, 
which  they  believe  fully  competent  to  rule  both 
land  and  water.  Paul  Jones  averred  that  he 
had  been  blind  for  twenty-six  years  and  that 
his  blindness  was  due  to  sickness  and  thereby 
hangs  a  tale.     It  is  said  that  previous  to   his 


WliA^'iJEl  A^'D  alTKA. 


o3 


blindness  Paul  Jones  wiis  a  pilot  on  this  coast, 
in  which  profession  he  achieved  sonic  extraordi- 
nary successes  in  a  certain  way.  lie  succeeded 
in  wrecking  two  trading  schooners  by  deliber- 
ately running  them  ui)on  rocks  for  purposes  of 
plunder.  He  made  one  more  attempt  in  that 
direction,  ^  iiich  was  his  last. 

As  the  storv  i»;oes,  Paul  Jones  was  ens^as^ed 
about  tAventy-six  years  ago,  as  pilot  for  a  mer- 
chant vessel,  commanded  by  a  cai)tain  whose 
schooner  had  been  once  wrecked  by  this  same 
good  Indian.  Ap[)roaching  the  locality  of  his 
former  disaster,  the  captain  saw,  or  thought  he 
saw,  the  pilot  attempting  to  run  his  vessel  u})on 
the  rocks,  which  he  knew  too  well.  Seeing  this 
the  captain  seized  the  Indian  and  at  first  pro- 
posed to  kill  him,  but  changed  the  decree  to 
blindness,  and,  in  })ursuance  of  that  detennina- 
tion  destroyed  the  pilot's  sii^ht.  He  said  Paul 
Jones  should  wreck  no  more  vessels,  and  it  may 
be  assumed  as  correct  that  since  the  loss  of  his 
eyes  he  has  retired  from  i)iloting,  and  now  seeks 
to  act  as  interpreter.  One  of  iiis  papers,  how- 
ever, intimated  that  an  alleged  characteristic  of 
the  interpreter  was  a  weakness  for  withholding 
from  an  Indian  whom  he  miuht  not  particularly 
admire  any  expressions  of  approbation  which  the 
principal  might  be  desirous  of  conveying.    This 


1 


54 


A    Tlill-    TO  ALASKA. 


fc 


^^1 1  .. 
0 


:Ui 


111.', 


'■!       ! 


fj 


is  Ji  djmircroiis  ftiiliuij:  in  an  Indian  intcrnrelcr, 
for  flattery  is  a  powcrl'iil  engine  in  dealing  with 
the  sini))lc  savage. 

Another  good  Indian  here  had  a  most  toneh- 
ing  tribute  from  General  ().  ().  Howard,  who 
hoped  his  protege  would  do  all  in  his  power  to 
prevent  the  eireulation  of  whiskey  among  his 
people.  It  closed  with  an  eloquent  assurance 
that  God  loves  those  who  dwell  in  peace  to- 
gether. This  lovable  youth  made  use  of  his 
paper  as  an  argument  in  favor  of  donations  of 
tobacco  and  hard  tack. 

The  "medicine  man"  of  this  coast  is  an 
awfully  mysterious  personage.  His  iirst  steps 
in  the  art  of  healinii",  accordiiii»-  to  the  traditions 
of  his  tribe,  are  taken  at  an  extremely  early 
day  in  his  career.  Should  a  child  be  l)()rn  with 
curly  hair,  stra})ismical  eye,  or  a  club  foot,  he 
is  accepted  as  a  healer  of  the  generation,  and 
all  his  early  training  is  conducted  Avitli  a  view 
to  increasing  his  su})ernatural  powers  and  con- 
trol over  the  s})irits  of  the  air.  His  food  is 
carefully  selected,  and  many  articles  of  every- 
day use  among  the  connnon  herd  are  excluded 
from  his  bill  of  fare.  He  is  put  in  training  for 
a  doctor  from  his  infancv,  and  irreat  tiling's  are 
expected  of  him  when  fully  developed  and  en- 
do  w^ed  with  his  degree. 


■JS, 


Wli.WdKL   AM)  SfTKA. 


55 


The  "doctor"  t^oldom  'vashcs  liis  i)or,son,  and 
never  cuts  his  hair,  which  latter  ijrows  lonof  and 
bushy  in  masses,  knotted  from  lack  of  comhin<^ 
and  entaniiied  with  l)urrs  and  general  rnl)l)ish, 
such  as  floats  around  an  Indian  encampment, 
lie  adorns  his  scanty  raiment  with  eaij^le's  down, 
and  altoirether  })rcsents  a  weird,  not  to  say 
untidy,  appearance. 

In  cases  of  serious  illness  among  memhcrs  of 
a  Plain's  tribe,  the  ^ledicine  Man  will  adminis- 
ter sparingly  some  pulverized  herbs  and  teas  in 
considerable  draughts,  l)ut  the  "Siwash"  doctor 
of  the  northwest  coast  scorns  all  sublunary  aids, 
Avhether  of  powders  or  decoctions.  A\'iien  a 
Ilyda  or  Stickeen  Indian  is  very  sick  the 
Siwasli  doctor  proceeds  slowly  at  tirst  to  agi- 
tate his  attendant  spirit,  which  is  called  a 
"Yake,"  and  by  extraordinary  contortions  and 
irvmnastic  exercises  succeeds,  in  the  course  of 
half  an  hour,  in  working  himself  up  to  a  perfect 
paroxysm  of  clairvoyancy,  throwing  off  his  gar- 
ments as  he  progresses,  till  finally  he  stands 
arrayed  in  an  abbreviated  skirt  about  his  loins, 
but  is  clothed  chiefly  in  foam  and  persi)iration. 
Then  he  is  ready  for  business. 

lie  now  makes  "i)asses,"  as  the  gentlemen  of 
the  ''P.  li."  call  them,  toward  the  body  of  the 
patient,  inhaling  his  breath  noisily  through  his 


i  If  I 


!'» 


E  I 


56 


A   TRIP   TO  ALASKA, 


teeth,  produciii!^  some  such  sound  us  is  heard 
in  dental  sh()})s  when  liuiuliinu:  gjis  is  adminis- 
tered. Ilavinu^  sucked  the  disease  out  of  the 
form  of  tlie  sick  man,  tlie  doctor  proceeds  to 
the  centre  of  the  house  juid  blows  it  up  through 
the  opening  where  smoke  from  the  lire  finds  its 
exit.  Of  course  the  i)atient  is  now  in  a  fair 
way  to  recovery.  But  in  case  of  the  patient 
not  evincing  ariv  signs  of  improvement,  the 
doctor  finds  that  the  "  conditions  are  not  favor- 
able," owing  to  the  influence  of  some  witch  who 
has  evoked  an  evil  s})irit  to  operate  against  the 
recovery.  In  such  a  case  it  becomes  the  doc- 
tor's first  duty  to  })oint  out  the  witch,  who  is 
stripped,  bound,  and  subjected  to  a  Puritanical 
course  of  discipline,  with  a  view  to  forcing  a 
confessicm.  The  rack,  the  scourge,  and  starva- 
tion irenerally  have  the  desired  effect,  and  the 
witch  acknowdedges  anvthing  that  the  doctor 
demands.  This  is  alwnys  gratifying,  and  is 
considered  one  of  the  greatest  trium})hs  of  the 
healinix  art ;  but  should  the  confession  be  made 
too  late  to  effect  the  desired  cure,  the  witch  may 
be  killed,  and  often  is  sacrificed  on  general 
principles.  Even  though  the  patient  dies 
under  these  circumstances  it  is  still  a  triumph 
for  the  doctor,  as  killin<»:  the  witch  is  as  good 
proof  of  witchcraft  in  that  portion  of  Alaska 


W RANG  EL  AND  -^ITKA. 


57 


•»y 


va 


to-day  as  it  was  in  New  England  two  hundred 
years  ago. 

The  missionaries  are  hi])orin<;  to  abolish  the 
"Siwash"  school  of  practice,  but,  unfortunately, 
as  they  are  themselves  ignorant  of  allopathy, 
homoeopathy  or  hydropathy,  perhaps,  they  have 
nothing  to  otfer  in  its  place.  There  is  an  occa- 
sional M.  1).  at  Wraniiel,  travellin<j:  to  the 
"di":":in<2:s"  in  summer,  and  comin":  down  with 
the  honest  miners  in  the  autunm,  but  they  have 
little  sympathy  for  sick  Indians,  upon  whom 
they  lay  a  tax  so  heavy,  when  called  in,  that 
their  charges  come  to  be  reirarded  as  the  extor- 
tions  of  impostors.  I  heard  of  a  doctor  from 
the  mines  char^ino*  an  Indian  five  dollars  for  a 
small  box  of  simple  salve,  to  be  applied  to  a 
sore  heel,  and  that  style  of  healing  is  the  fly  in 
the  ointment,  that  operates  seriously  against  the 
success  of  the  missionary  who  preaches  against 
the  athletic  antics  of  the  "Siwashes,"  who  pro- 
fess to  cast  out  unclean  spirits  and  cure  Indian 
flesh  of  obstinate  ailments. 

If  it  suggests  anything  it  is  that  young  men 
who  are  educated  as  missionaries  should  receive 
regular  instruction  in  medicine  and  surgery, 
which  may  be  as  necessary  to  success  among 
savas^es  as  heavy  readinofs  in  theoloirv. 

Miners  come  down  the  Stickeen  in  the  fall 


II 


T'      1, 


,;! 


',:! ' 


m 

1  r  •* 

m 

3''   .            i 

1 

fc      1 

) 

■'         'i 

58 


A    Th'IP    rn    ALASKA. 


jiiul  nijiko  Ihc  town  lively  by  increasing  business 
irenenilly.  They  pntronizo  the  djince-houscs 
and  swiiii:-  cornors  with  the  dusky  maidens  of 
the  forest  and  island,  but  the  dissi})ation  in 
thes(^  primitive  halls  of  Terpsichore  consists 
mainly  of  indulgence  in  apples  and  cigars,  to 
which  cotillon  partners  arc  treated.  At  the 
time  of  niv  visit  no  beer  was  sold  here,  but  it 
has  since  been  introduced. 

^^'hen  the  miners  are  in  funds  they  gamble 
also,  but  members  of  Congress  are  popularly 
credited  with  similar  recreation  as  a  relief  to 
"overtaxed  brains."  Gambling  as  a  pastime 
or  profession  has  never  yet  been  eradicated  by 
law,  though  often  prohi!)ited  with  severe  penal- 
ties for  infraction.  When  the  miners  have 
money  they  pay  for  their  dancing,  and  when 
they  have  not,  toward  spring,  they  are  only 
taxed  for  the  lights.  Failing  to  get  pay  for  the 
illumination,  the  dancing  master  takes  his  fiddle 
under  his  arm,  clears  the  house,  walks  out,  locks 
the  door,  goes  to  the  mines,  and  Wrangel  society 
suffers  a  collapse.  There  Avould  appear  to  be 
nothing  of  a  serious  nature  about  that. 

It  is  true  a  man  was  killed  here  during 
the  winter  of  1878-9,  but  the  shooter  was  tried 
1)V  a  iurv  of  twelve  men  selected  bv  himself. 
The  court  was  presided  over  by  three  judges  of 


WRANGEL  AND  SITKA. 


51) 


-*  m 


('(lutil  jurisdiction,  ivsp()ii,sii)le  luislnoss  men  of 
tlio  plat'c,  and  the  nmnlcrcr  was  regularly 
lianufcd  on  a  rciiularly  constructed  scatl'old. 
He  had,  or  miglit  have  liad,  tlie  Ix'iietit  of 
clcr<iy,  and  1  heheve  some  of  the  ladies  sent 
him  l)ou(iUcts  and  sweetmeats  while  he  was 
awaiting  execution,  which  is  all  that  could  have 
heen  done  tor  him  in  IJoston  or  Philadelphia. 

There  was  no  other  disturbance  of  a  serious 
charaeter  at  \V range],  exee[)t  a  slight  row  be- 
tween the  resident  Indians  and  some  of  the 
visiting  tribes,  but  the  Indians  can  and  always 
will  settle  their  own  alfairs,  if  liiven  a  chance. 
They  settled  that,  and  though  the  Ilydas 
thought  they  ought  to  ha\e  a  gunboat  to  blow 
the  Stiekeens  into  smithereens,  they  got  along 
without  it  and  nol)ody  was  killed. 

On  the  whole  it  appears  that  the  poo))le  at 
\\'ranirel  were  able  to  take  care  of  themselves, 
and  as  they  had  no  taxes  to  pay  they  thought 
thcv  eouhl  <>et  alonc^  without  a  (Jovernment 
imported  from  tlie  East.  They  have  no  corpo- 
rate system  of  water  works,  nor  any  paved 
streets ;  neither  have  thev  a  bonded  de))t. 
There  may  l)e  plenty  of  work  here  for  mis- 
sionaries, but  there  is  no  lack  of  missionaries 
willing  to  do  it.  There  is  room  for  moral 
improvement  possible,  Ijut  such  a  condition  of 


00 


A   TRIP  TO  ALASKA. 


III  it 


aflairs  is  not  confinod  exclusively  to  Wrangcl 
Isljuul. 

If  the  people  of  \Vran<rcl  were  suffering  for 
jjoverninent  at  the  time  of  our  visit,  thev  did  not 
seem  to  l)e  aware  of  it.  The  permanent  white 
I)0[)ulation  of  tliis  })lace  was  seventy-five  per- 
sons. Indians,  and  transitory  miners,  and 
Chinese  far  outnumber  them  but  do  not  count 
as  population. 


CIIArTEU   \'I. 


SITKA    AM)    KADIAK. 


n^ITE  situation  at  Sitka  was  not  greatly  differ- 
-■-  ont  tVoni  that  at  Wranirol  as  to  character 
of  country  and  people,  but  there  were  fewer 
])eople  at  Sitka.  It  is  less  than  a  day's  run 
for  the  steamer  from  the  one  place  to  the 
otlier.  In  good  old  Russian  times  Sitka  was 
the  capital  of  Alaska.  It  was  occupied  by  a 
garrison  of  some  three  hundred  men  who  were 
well  provided  with  such  munitions  of  war  as 
Avere  then  regarded  tlie  most  approved  machines 
for  nnirder.  In  those  halcyon  days,  say  before 
tlic  Mexican  war,  Sitka  was  a  real  metropolis 
and  the  most  important  maritime  town  on  the 
western  coast  of  America  north  of  Mexico. 
'I'he  "castle"  which  was  once  the  residence  of 
tlie  Governor-Ocneral  still  stands  high  ui)on  a 
mound  overlooking  the  settlement  and  the  beau- 
tiful ba}'.  But  the  garrison  is  gone  ;  the  ship- 
building has  ceased ;  the  martial  music  is  silent ; 
more  than  three-fourths  of  the  houses  are 
vacant ;  the  Stockade  has  been  contemptuously 

61 


'4'' 


(12 


A   Tliir  TO  alahka. 


carried  jiway  \)y  Indians  for  fuel,  and  the  i)lace 
had  altoaether  a  deserted  and  di.seouraiiinii" 
aspect.  Still  the  few  whites  here  talk  of  mines 
and  ureat  things  in  future  for  Sitka.  It  must 
l)e  mines,  if  anvthinii',  that  will  create  a  future 
for  this  reminiscence  of  a  settlement.  At  the 
time  of  our  v'^it  there  were  about  seventy-five 
whites,  men,  women,  and  children,  of  all  nation- 
alities here.  Outside  tlie  line  of  the  old  Stock- 
ade there  were  about  a  thousand  Indians.  In 
the  harbor  was  a  sloop-of-wnr  to  keep  the  })eace. 

Sitka  is  situated  upon  a  swampy  island  hav- 
inu:  the  sunless,  very  wet  climate  common  to 
tins  cor.st  above  California  and  ^^)'ioh.  worse 
in  Alaska  than  in  Oregon  and  \>  ishinuton 
Territory,  where  the  climate  does  admit  of 
some  farmin<»:.  I5ut  no  man  should  come  to 
Sitka  to  look  for  farminii'  lands  or  climate. 
And  on  al)  this  coast  there  is  not  a  more 
cheerless  lookinir  place  than  Sitka. 

When  \h\  LeMoyne  celebrated  the  comple- 
tion of  his  crematory  by  the  incineration  of 
the  remain.s  of  the  eccentric  BanMi  \^on  I'alm, 
the  wliole  country  was  in  a  sta^e  of  perspiration 
for  days  over  the  event,  and  re[trcsentativcs  of 
the  i)ress  from  Philadelpiiia  and  New  York 
were  sent  out  to  Washington,  Pennsylvania,  to 
report   the   wonderful    ceremony.     Here    it    is 


SITKA  AXIi  KAJIAK. 


63 


(lirt'erent.  Crcination  is  as  common  as  death 
itself  amonir  tiio  Indians. 

We  were  hardly  at  anchor  in  the  harbor  at 
Sitiva  bet(>r«  we  were  intbrmcd  that  ;i  hodv  was 
to  be  bar])eciied,  and  innnediately  after  break- 
fast I  Avent  ashore  to  see  somethinir  of  the  cere- 
mon}".  The  funeral  pyre  consisted  of  u  cril)  of 
dried  ];>gs,  each  about  six  inches  in  dianiet(»r 
and  six  feet  in  leni»th,  ;irrani>'ed  four  at  the 
ends  and  three  upon  each  side,  supported  by 
irreen  stakes. 

The  arrangements  Averc  very  sim])le.  The 
body  of  a  scjuaw,  who  had  died  on  Sunday 
(this  was  ()i\  \\\Mhiesday),  was  hoisted  out  of 
the  smoke-hole  in  the  center  of  the  house. 
Dead  bodies  are  never  permitted  to  go  out 
tiu'ough  the  (h)orway,  among  these  Indians.  If 
tliev  were  taken  out  that  w^av,  the  si)irits  would 
be  almost  certain  to  return  to  |)lague  their  sur- 
viviiiu-  relatives.  The  bodv  in  nuesticm  was 
wrapped  in  a  connn(Mi  bark  mat,  such  as  these 
Indians  make,  and  laid  in  the  cril),  the  top 
b'Mnir  covered  with  lo^-s  laid  crosswise.  The 
fu'c  was  then  started  and  the  mourners,  M'ho  con- 
sisted of  female  relatives,  sat  around  upon  the 
ground  to  the  windward  and  slightly  to  the 
riglit  of  the  burning  ])i1e.  Their  hair  had  been 
cut  short,  their  faces  were  all  blackened,  and  us 


11 


64 


A    TRIP   TO  ALA.SKA. 


V'Vi 


the  tears  from  their  weeping  eyes  cut  ch.annels 
through  the  lauii)hi{ick,  the  eflect  was  exceed- 
ingly touching.  The  squaws,  who  numbered 
fifteen  or  twer.ly,  sobbed,  snittted,  and  whined 
with  every  evidence  of  genuine  grief.  To  the 
left  of  the  women  a  number  of  male  relatives  of 
the  deceased  put  in  the  time  chanting  contin- 
ually and  keeping  time  with  staves  about  live 
feet  long,  vrith  which  they  rapped  pieces  of 
boards.  The  men  stood  erect  all  this  time  and 
were  led  in  the  chant  bv  an  old  man  who  held  a 
crow  totem  in  one  hand,  Avhich  being  shaken, 
produced  ;i  rattling  noise,  hy  pebbles  within 
the  hollow  insti'umeiit. 

The  ceremony  continued  for  about  three 
hours  and  a  half,  when  the  remains  were  con- 
sumed, with  the  exception  of  some  of  the 
larger  ^c  and  arm  bones  and  a  portion  of  the 
skull.  As  soon  as  the  residuum  was  cool  enough 
to  be  taken  up,  the  mass,  along  with  some  of 
the  wood  ashes,  was  placed  in  a  box,  which  was 
deposited  in  a  sort  of  small  hen-coop  on  stakes, 
scores  of  which  dot  the  hill  behind  the  village. 

After  the  cremation  the  tired  Indians  turned 
in  and  slept  during  the  afternoon,  and  at  night 
had  their  customary  dance  in  honor  of  the  suc- 
cessful   issue  of   the   enterprise. 


CHAPTER  VII. 


KADIAK. 


O  O  fur  as  mere  extent  of  territory  is  con- 
^  cerned  it  must  be  admitted  that  in  the 
})urchase  of  Ahiska  we  got  enouirli  huid,  or 
water  and  roeks,  for  the  money.  Our  property 
in  this  rci^ion  eonnnenees  at  Cape  Fox  as  Uie 
southeastern  extremity,  about  50°  42'  north 
latitude  and  130°  west  from  Greenwieli.  From 
this  point  a  strip  of  ten  marine  leagues  in  width 
alonjy  the  coast  extendi  norUiward  to  Mount 
St.  Elias,  and  thence  due  north  to  the  Arctic 
Ocean.  Along  the  coast  of  the  southeastern 
portion  a  number  of  islands  foum  many  iidand 
passages  similar  to  those  on  the  coast  of  lirilish 
C()luml)ia.  The  southern  portion  of  Ahiska 
is  split  about  the  sixtieth  i)arallel,  Iciving  the 
mainland  to  continue  southward  to  the  line  of 
British  Columbia,  while  to  the  westward  ex- 
tends the  peninsula,  which  terminates  in  lon- 
gitude 100°  20'  west.  Then  commences  the 
Aleutian  Archipelago,  forming  a  ihain  of  islands 


r  M 


in 


[     '■! 


Vm 


()() 


A   TRIP   TO  ALA!SKA. 


i  r' 


>M 


^:i, 


lir 


with  narrow  pas.saije.s  Ijetween,  ])cndiiig  around 
to  the  southward  and  westward,  rcachins;  to 
Attou,  1«7°  40'  west,  or  172°  20'  cast  from 
Greenwich.  Tluis  it  will  be  seen  our  most 
Avesterly  Alaskan  settlement  is  in  the  eastern 
hcniisi)liere  —  nearer  to  London  by  a  western 
than  bv  an  eastern  course. 

From  Cape  Fox  —  the  southeastern  extremity 
of  Alaska  —  to  .\ttou,  is  thirt^'-tive  nnd  one-half 
deii'rees,  or  about  nineteen  hundred  miles.  A 
line  drawn  from  Attou  through  the  middle  of 
Jiehrini!:  Straits  will  pass  between  the  Diomed 
Islands  at  a  distance  of  about  one  thousand  miles 
from  Attou.  From  there  we  may  claim  north- 
ward till  sto})})ed  by  polar  ice.  This  is  an 
extensive  territory,  taking  in  the  water,  but 
even  of  land  there  are  tive  hundred  and  sixty- 
one  thousand  square  miles ;  and  if  the  land, 
which  is  mostly  set  up  on  end,  so  far  as  it  is 
known,  were  flattened  down,  there  would  be  a 
gi'eat  deal  more.  But  probably  there  is  enough 
of  it  now,  such  as  it  is. 

The  mountains  of  Kadiak  rise  into  view  at 
fifty  miles  distance  from  the  harbor,  presenting 
an  exceedingly  rugged  and  picturesque  appear- 
ance. The  foregound  is  barren  and  cold  look- 
ing, with  sharp  ridges  and  peaks  of  snow  in  the 
rear.     As    we    approach,   forests    of    scraggy 


KADIAK. 


67 


spruce  become  visible,  and  we  arc  told  to  take 
a  good  look  at  tlicni,  because  we  will  see  no 
timber  to  the  west  and  north.  Kiidiak  is  an 
island  a  hundred  miles  or  more  in  leniith  and 
averaginir,  perhaps,  forty  miles  in  width,  being 
separated  from  the  mainland  by  the  Straits  of 
Shelikoo.  Kadiak  and  adjacent  islands  contain 
a  population  of  upwards  of  two  thousand  souls, 
many  of  them  bein<>-  Russians  and  of  mixed  blood. 
The  great  majority  of  the  peoi>le,  however,  are 
Innuits,  who  live  principally  on  lish,  which  is 
here  the  staple  article  of  food,  as  bread  is  in 
some  communities.  The  settlement  of  Kadiak  — 
or  St.  Paul's,  as  it  is  })ut  down  on  some  of 
the  charts  —  contains  a  church  (Kusso-dlreek), 
the  stores  of  two  trading  companies,  a  custom- 
house, the  remains  of  a  United  States  garrison, 
and  (piite  a  village  of  houses  in  which  the  na- 
tives reside. 

The  Russians  made  an  attempt  to  have  their 
headquarters  at  Kadiak,  being  a  central  point, 
and  in  many  respects  quite  advantageous  ;  but  a 
better  harbor  was  found  at  Sitka,  live  hundred 
and  fifty  miles  to  the  eastward.  At  i)resent 
Kadiak  derives  its  cliief  impoitance  from  the 
fur-traders'  stations  her<',  forming  the  head- 
quarters of  a  considerable  traffic  uj)  Cook's 
Inlet.     Another  industry,  formerly  of  imj)ort- 


i 


1— .,j 

j-f  fl   y  ill 


II 


■!■: 


I 

if 


I '  •« 


: 


()S 


A   TRIP  TO  ALASKA. 


Jinc'c  here,  was  the  ciittin2:  and  storing  of  ice  for 
the  use  of  San  Francisco,  which  trade  has  been 
susi)ended  l)y  the  manufacture  of  artificial  ice 
in  the  California  metropolis.  The  American- 
Kussian  Ice  Company  still  puts  up  a  large 
supply  of  ice  every  3'car,  permitting  it  to  melt 
awa}'  at  the  close  of  the  season,  so  as  to  fur- 
nish work  for  the  natives  durins:  the  winter 
months.  It  is  understood  that  the  San  Fran- 
cisco Artificial  Ice  Company  have  some  benevo- 
lent arrangement  with  the  Kadiak  concern  by 
Avhicli  the  market  is  not  disturbed ;  but,  in  the 
event  of  any  trouble  Avith  the  San  Francisco 
Comi)any,  Kadiak  ice  could  be  sent  doAvn  from 
here. 

Kadiak  is  considered  a  specially  favored  spot 
in  Alaska  l)ecause  it  produces  timber  and  a  good 
quality  of  grass.  JNIore  cattle  are  found  here 
than  in  any  other  i)()rtion  of  Alaska,  though 
hay  must  be  provided  for  their  sup[)()rt  during 
four  months  of  the  year.  Native  potatoes  also 
thrive  here,  and  these,  with  tisli,  which  are  re- 
markably abundant,  and  the  fur  trade,  make  it 
one  of  the  most  important  settlements  in  the 
Territory.  As  an  agricultural  and  pastural 
country  Kadiak  has  no  equal  along  the  coast 
of  Alaska.  Th(n-e  may  be  fifty  head  of  cattle 
on  the   island,  and  as  many  more   on  Woody 


KADIAK. 


GO 


Island,  across  the  harbor,  where  the  ice  com- 
pany has  its  head  quarters.  Here  is  found  the 
agent  Avho  hires  the  people  to  cut  ice,  to  run 
his  saw-mill,  to  build  his  boats,  and  to  care 
tor  his  horses.  He  bu3's  their  furs,  furnishes 
them  with  such  store  goods  as  they  need,  ad- 
ministers medicines  when  they  are  sick,  and 
lias  a  general  supervision  of  the  colony  except 
in  the  matter  of  religion,  which  lie  leaves  them 
to  enjoy  according  to  their  education.  For  him- 
self he  enjoys  life.  He  sails,  he  hunts,  he  rides, 
walks,  and  takes  all  sorts  of  athletic  exercises, 
and  has  sport  of  all  kinds  that  can  be  had  in  a 
country  like  this,  prolific  in  game  and  free  from 
political  and  other  restrictions.  His  house  is 
well  furnished,  his  table  luxuriously  supplied,  he 
has  no  taxes  to  pay,  no  elections  to  trouble  him 
or  his  people,  no  police,  nor  any  use  for  them. 

One  of  the  institutions  of  Kadiak  is  the 
"galanka."  This  is  an  upright  furnace  made  of 
brick,  the  best  and  most  economical  heater  that 
has  ever  been  tried,  so  the  people  say  out  this 
way,  and  they  all  agree  on  this  point.  It  is  a 
series  of  connecting  Hues  which  retain  the  heat 
for  twenty-four  hours  after  the  small  amount  of 
wood  used  has  been  consumed.  Out  in  this 
country  there  is  nothing  to  compare  with  the 
galanka  as  a  house- warmer. 


'y-i' 


70 


A    TRIP  TO  ALAtiKA. 


|f]i 


I  \ 


IB    ili 


I 


fl  i! 


(1    ;  t ; 


1  11^ 


The  coniincivial  iinijortanco  of  Ktuliak  at 
present  consists  of  it.s  l"in*  trade  draAvn  from  the 
surrounding  eountry,  principally  i'roni  Cook's 
Inlet.  This  will  prol)al)ly  diminish,  l)ut  there 
seem  to  l)e  other  resources  here  which,  in  the 
course  of  time,  may  develop  into  somethin<»'  of 
value.  The  waters  herea))outs  are  i)lentifully 
supplied  with  iish,  —  cod,  salmon,  and  herring 
being  caught  in  any  quantity  required.  There  is 
a  cannery  at  Karlook  where  excellent  salmon 
are  preserved.  There  is  considerable  spruce 
timber  suitable  for  the  construction  of  small 
vessels,  and  the  natives  are  ai)t  at  mechanical 
employments,  labor  being  cheap,  so  that  there 
seems  to  be  no  reason  why  tishino;  could  not  be 
made  an  important  industry  at  Kadiak.  The 
agricultural  resources  of  the  island  are  consid- 
ered superior  —  for  Alaska,  but  th*  must  be 
rated  exceedinalv  limited  in  fact.  Here,  as 
about  Wransfel  and  Sitka,  there  are  morasses 
on  the  tops  of  the  hills.  Snow  lingers  on  the 
mountains  al.l  sunnner,  mclling  just  fast  enough 
to  keep  the  whole  island  saturated  with  ice  water, 
and  ice  water  is  not  generally  considered  a  valu- 
able adjunct  to  fancy  gardening,  or  even  to 
protitable  farming.  Along  the  coast,  adjacent 
to  the  beach,  are  the  dryest  and  warmest  s})ots 
of  soil.  In  these  places  small  native  potatoes  and 
other  hardy  vegetables  will  grow.     The  native 


KADIAK. 


71 


potatoes  arc  very  good,  I  nit  exeeedinuly  small. 
They  bear  about  the  same  rehitlon  to  the  best 
varieties  of  potatoes  tliat  Texas  eattle  do  to  short- 
horns. Ill  all  the  little  i»ardeniiiii'  to  l)e  seen  at 
Sitka  and  Kadiak,  sneeess  de})ends  on  makinij: 
narrow,  raised  l)eds  sloping  southward,  so  that 
they  may  ])e  kept  as  warm  and  dry  as  possii)le 
on  the  surf'aee. 

Wild  eran))erries  grow  plentifully  on  Kadiak, 
and,  though  they  are  of  tine  Havor,  they  are 
small  and  probably  eould  not  be  shi})i)ed  with 
profit.  Furs  and  tish  are  the  most  valuable  of 
its  products  at  present.  The  furs  consist  of  sea 
and  land  otter,  marten,  mink,  lynx,  wolverine, 
and  fox,  including  red,  cross,  black,  and  silver- 
gray.  jNIink  and  beaver  are  low-priced  furs, 
but  a  irreat  manv  i*"o  in  with  the  others.  One 
of  the  com})anies  had  just  got  in  the  spring  ship- 
ments of  furs  a  short  time  before  our  arrival 
at  Kadiak,  and,  haniiing  on  the  loft  of  the  ware- 
houses,  they  made  a  display  which  would  bo 
an  ol)ject  of  great  public  interest  if  on  exhibi- 
tion in  any  large  city  of  the  "  States."  The  va- 
riety and  richness  of  grades  and  shades  were 
bewildering.  In  addition  to  what  these  com- 
l)anies  obtain,  the  Wood  Island  trader  buys  all 
of  the  best  that  are  offered  him.  Altogether  the 
three  houses  ship  perhaps  one  hundred  thousimd 
dollars  worth  of  furs  from  Kadiak  annually. 


'i  :ts 


r 


CHAPTER   VIII. 


tup:  shL'Maoin  islands. 


T"  EAVING  Kudiak  wc  steam  westward  to 
-*-^  UiigJi,  one  of  the  81iiima<j;'iii  group  of  is- 
lands lying  south  of  the  peninsula  of  Alaska. 
Coasting  along  for  two  days,  land  is  almost  con- 
stantly within  sight  —  rough,  uirren-looking 
mountains.  The  "Kush"  lost  considerable  time 
in  deep-sea  soundings  between  Kadiak  and 
Unga,  and  in  making  ()l)servations  of  prominent 
points.  The  deei)-sea  soundings  did  not  develop 
much,  but  the  observations  resulted  in  establish- 
inij  the  fact  tliat  the  coast-survev  charts  are 
considerably  "out"  in  the  position.^  of  many 
headlands. 

Unga  is  the  chief  of  the  Shumagin  group 
and  is  the  centre  of  considerable  cod-fishing. 
A  number  of  small  schooners  are  up  here  in- 
dependently, and  a  California  company  has  a 
station  on  Popofi'  Island,  twelve  miles  distant 
from  DelarotF,  the  harbor  and  settlement  of 
Unga  Island.  At  that  station,  which  is  called 
72 


THE  .SlIUMAaiy  LSL.L\DS. 


73 


Pirate  Cove,  the  tisli  arc  salted  and  paeked  for 
fsliipinent  to  San  Francisco,  where  they  an^ 
dried.  A  number  of  small  vessels  trade  anionic: 
these  islands  for  furs.  The  h-adiuii-  variety  is 
sea  otter,  a  great  many  of  uhicii  are  taken 
hercal)outs,  thouiiii  Uelkoosky,  on  the  mainland, 
is  head  centre  for  these  skins.  Still  I'liLra  is 
much  resorted  to  for  furs,  as  the  numerous 
rocks  a])out  the  islands  are  fre(juented  by  the 
otter,  wJiich  is  very  vaiual)le. 

The  sea  otter  is  said  to  ]>e  the  shvest  of  ani- 
mals  and  most  s(Misitive  to  the  })resenee  of  man 
or  any  —  to  them  —  unfamiliar  odoi*.  Hunters 
will  remain  for  months  on  a  rock  in  tiie  coldest 
and  Avettest  of  winters  without  a  tire  or  any 
means  of  warmino;  their  tbod  or  sleeping-places, 
waitin£>:  und  watchini»*  for  tlu^ir  ])rey.  They 
endure  the  most  severe  sutl'eriniis,  and  they 
have  their  rewards  in  skins  Avhich  bring  them 
from  thirty  to  sixty  dollars  each.  l>ut  such 
privations  as  the  hunters  undergo  shorten  their 
lives,  and  what  might  be  needed  to  complete 
first-class  cases  of  consumption  is  found  in  the 
"barabaras," — sod  huts  in  which  they  live,  half 
underground,  almost  entirely  in  the  dark,  and 
fpiite  without  ventilation.  Consumption  is  the 
irreat  assent  of  death  amon<j  the  Aleuts,  as 
among  the  Alaskan  Indians,  while   'heumatism 


i 


■I  i      ■ «  I 


74 


A    Tliir  To   ALASKA. 


ffi  ;i! 


^1 

'  i 


i  ?' 


is  the  Mciitc  (lisoMso  that  nicks  their  bodies  with 
sharp  pains  tiirouLih  life. 

'V\\v.  Shuuiaiiin  I.sjaiuls,  iii-cc  oilier  points 
visited  hy  tlu!  "Kiish"  in  Alaska,  possess  the 
undesirahle  peculiarity  of  l)ein<.'*  scant  in  soil  in 
moderately  dry  spots,  while  the  t()i)s  of  hills  are 
swamps,  cold  and  unfathomable.  A\'hat  at  a 
short  distance  looks  like  an  attractive  ran<>e  of 
rolling  hills  })r()vcs  on  close  inspection  to  l)e 
only  a  morass  in  which  a  sheej)  would  bo  lost 
unless  provided  with  a  cork  Jacket.  AVhy 
white  men  should  leave  the  United  States  and 
settle  down  in  such  an  inh()s[)ital)le  reiiion  as 
this  is  almost  incomprehensible,  except  on  the 
theory  that  they  have  had  a  rough  experience 
in  their  past  lives,  or  have  retired  for  some 
good  reason  from  localities  which  once  knew 
them,  but  which  know  them  no  more. 

Yet  here  are  half  a  dozen  of  them,  and  until 
reccntlv  they  labored  under  disadvantai»:es  which 
the  natives  were  not  ol)liged  to  encounter,  for  all, 
except  natives,  were  foi'bidden  to  hunt.  This 
order  was  issued  with  a  view  of  preventing  out- 
siders from  crowding  in  here  to  destroy  the  sea 
otter,  and  thus  leave  the  natives  without  means 
of  earning  a  livelihood.  The  rule  has  recently 
been  modified  l)y  the  Secretary  of  the  Treiisury, 
who  st^nt  out  circulars  announeiuir  that  white 


TIIK  SHU  MAG  IN  ISLANDS. 


ii) 


luon  iHJirried  to  iisitivo  woinon  would  l)c  coii- 
.sitlerod  iiiitivcs  in  roirjird  to  i)i'iviI(\u:os  of"  liunt- 
iiiiT,  wliicli  is  c'OMsoiiiii^  to  the  men,  wiio  irt't 
tiieii-  eitizensiiip  in  this  manner,  though  they 
.'dwiiys  Imnted. 

Steerinu"  around  amon<!:  the  Shumauins  hv 
tortuous  courses,  and  avoidinn"  the  jaiiiicd  rocks, 
which  st:uid  in  skirmisli  line  depiovecl  tVoni 
the  snow-covered  mountains,  we  come  to  Hel- 
ivoosky,  an  Aleutian  settlement  u})on  a  point  of 
the  i)eninsula,  and  almost^  it'  not  (juite,  the  head 
centre  of  the  sea-otter  huntinir.  Sea  otters  are 
found  amoni»"  the  rocks,  and  rocks  stick  out  of 
the  water  here  in  every  direction,  lielkoosky 
is  ex[)osed  to  southeast  gales,  hut  the  settle- 
ment was  not  estal)lished  as  a  pleasure  resort. 
If  it  had  l)cen,  it  might  have  been  placed  on  an 
arm  of  Belkoosky  Bay,  which  is  as  smooth  as 
a  mill-dam.  Wnt  lielkoosky  liay  in  that  part 
freezes  over,  ;uid  the  ice  would  prevent  ''l)idar- 
kics"  putting  out  with  the  seal  hunters,  while 
from  the  present  exposed  i)osition  of  the  place 
the  sea  is  open  to  the  hunters  at  all  times. 
When  people  live  by  the  sea  this  is  an  advan- 
tage. 

The  Belkoosky  settlement  consists  mainly  of 
Aleuts,  all  members  of  the  Greek  church.  They 
live  much  as  the  people  do  at  Unga,  paying  no 


'111 

i  , 

1 1 


76 


A    77<7/'    7  c   A /.AS  A- A. 


m 


attention  to  aii'ri<^ultiire,  for  wliicli  llicir  country 
is  ])ut  poorly  adapted,  and  lookinii'  to  the  sea 
for  the  nece.ssari(>s  of  life.  Tliey  live  in  har- 
mony—  l'arrin;L»*  family  s<]unl)l)le.s  —  and  they 
do  not  a.sk  for  national  interference.  All  the}' 
seem  to  want  is  t  >  he  let  alone.  Onala.ska, 
Atka,  Attou,  —  all  of  the  Aleutian  .settle- 
ments,—  are  similarly  situated  in  regard  to 
government  and  jiolitics.  Tiiey  have  none, 
and  tin;}  do  not  seem  to  want  any. 


CHAPTER  IX. 


=1 


V   I  J 


Kit- 

M  ttl 


ONALASKA's    hllOKE. 


Ill 


/^XALASKA  is  the  cliiei  settlement  of  the 
^-^  Aleuliaii  Arcliii)ehigo.  Vessels  iVoin  here 
eruise  111110112;  the  ishuids  to  eastwurd  and  west- 
ward,  bringing  in  the  sea-otter,  fox,  and  other 
furs.  At  the  time  of  our  arrival  one  warehouse 
eontained  one  thousand  two  hundied  sea-otter 
skins,  worth  here  at  that  time  al)out  forty  dol- 
lars eaeh.  Before  these  were  shipped  the  num- 
ber swelled  to  three  thousand,  worth  in  London 
some  two  hundred  and  twenty-live  thousand  dol- 
lars. This  will  represent,  i)erliaps,  two-thirds  of 
all  the  sea-otter  skins  furnished  to  the  world 
annually ;  for  comparatively  few  go  from  any 
other  quarter.  The  sea  otter  has  a  fine,  elose 
fur,  but  it  is  used  [jrineijially  for  ti'lniming, 
))eini»'  too  heavy  and  too  exiu-nslve  for  full  irar- 
nients.  The  fur-seal  is  much  more  desiral)le 
for  cloaks  and  not  so  costly.  In  addition  to  sea 
otter,  l)lack,  yilver-gray,  cross,  and  red  foxes,  and 
other  land  furs,  mainly  from  Bristol  Bay,  centre 
here  for  shii)nient  to  San  Francisco,  and  when 

77 


.  !  -■   r- 


■■k' 


1 

i 

I^^H 

1 

1 

^H 

. 

nn 

- 

|Hh 

1 

I 

!"•■ 

-     :^|' 


73 


A   TRIP  TO  ALAtiKA. 


li.'inging  in  the  warehouses  make  a  grand  dis- 
play. Two  fur  companies  had  liead  (juarters 
liere  I'or  operations  east,  west,  and  northward. 

Like  all  other  Aleut  settlements  of  any  con- 
secjuence,  Onalaska  has  a  IJussian  ehureh  ;  hut 
here  the  i)riesr,  Fatlier  Shiesnekoo,  enjoys  a 
degree  of  eonlidence,  respect,  and  induence  not 
})ossessed  hy  all  of  the  gown  in  Aleutia.  Some 
of  the  i)ricsts  in  Alaska  are  not  nuich  thought 
of.  Jt  was  reported  that  a  nuniher  of  them, 
alouii"  with  some  from  San  Franciscc;,  were  to  he 
sent  to  Siberia,  and,  thouizh  there  may  have  been 
grounds  for  the  sup})ositi()n  that  they  ought  to 
go,  none  went.  It  may  not  be  generally  known 
that  the  Ivussian  government  pays  the  salaries 
of  the  (ireek  ])riests  in  America,  —  over  one 
hundred  thousand  rubles  })er  annum  ])eing  sent 
by  the  Czar  to  the  San  Francisco  Consistory. 

The  Aleuts  are  all  mcm])ers  of  the  (ireek 
faith.  The  forms  and  ceremonies  of  this 
c!)urch  are  better  suited  to  their  simple  minds 
than  those  of  any  other  Christian  denomination. 
It  is  full  of  mysteries,  and  that  is  what  they 
want  to  make  religion  })alatabie.  They  would 
not  respect  a  doctrine  tluit  they  could  under- 
stand. Until  they  shall  have  been  further 
advanced  intellectually,  nothinii'  but  the  incom- 
prehensible  will  satisfy  their  si)iritual  longings. 


O^ALA SKA'S  SHORE. 


79 


TIio  inenibors  of  the  Riissijin  climvh  do  not 
sit  within  their  houses  of  worshij).  The  ves- 
til)ule  of  e:ieh  of  these  eluiivhes  opens  into 
a  "'orii-eous  rotunchi,  deeonited  with  ivliiiious 
})ii-tin'es.  fiirnisiied  with  inunense  silver-piiited 
chandeliers,  hiivin<>-  seonees  for  a  do/en  candles 
eucii.  Candehd)rie,  with  many  liiihts,  stand 
u{)on  a  raised  (hiis  and  reacli  as  iiigli  as  u  man's 
head.      In  tlie  centre.  facin<>'  vou  as  vou  stand 


wi 


th 


}• 


our 


hack    to    the  entrance,   is  a   hittice 


door,  on  the  inner  si(h'  of  whicli  is  a  curtain 
concealinii:  whatever  may  be  within.  As  you 
enter,  the  consfrfii'idion  stands  facinir  the  screen, 
hut  hack  from  tiic  rotunda.  The  men  stand 
ujion  tlie  riiiht,  the  women  on  the  left.  The 
sinirers  consist  of  men  and  Itoys  I(m1  \)y  tlie 
second  ])riest.  In  Sitka  the  choir  had  a  posi- 
tion behind  a  screen  to  the  riiiht  of  the  rotun- 
da.    Here  in  Onalaska.  thev  occunv  a  narrow 

•>  i    « 

<r!dlery,  where  there  is  also  a  bench  for  visi- 
tors. 

There  may  be  no  })rlest  in  sii^ht,  but  the  sinii- 
ini>*  in  a  monotonous  half-ciiant  continues  at  all 
times  when  the  priest  is  not  readiniror  j>rayiu!r. 
Presently  the  curtain  in  the  centre  is  drawn 
hack,  ;m  altar  within  the  sdiicfiuii  saucfortmi  is 
nn'ealed,  and  a  ])riest  in  irorireous  vestments 
and  wearin;natall,  bell-crowned,  blue-velvet  hat, 


'1'.  ■ 

if     .: 


P^PIl-v' 

\h  "  ■          ^ 

1"     ■                      .      ■■•;    i 

1  ^  ^i! 

\¥,% 


f  t 


il* 


80 


A    TRIP  TO  ALASKA. 


in 


f' 


li:,- 


1  U|  ■ 

K  i 

1  ^B    H 

KM; 

1  H  1 

IHl 

hHP! 

is  seen  rcadinir,  pravinir,  or  swinirino-  a  censer. 
The  attendant  who  waits  upon  him  kisses  his 
hand  with  eaeli  article  given  him,  and  crosses 
himself  as  he  passes  the  altar.  The  curtain  is 
drawn  airain  and  the  holy  of  holies  is  once 
more  concealed  from  view. 

After  another  short  interval  the  i)riest  c(mies 
out  into  the  rotunda  i»v  a  side  door,  and  walks 
around  to  the  centre,  carryinij:  a  chalice  or 
some  other  portion  of  the  connnunion  service. 
As  he  appears,  the  peo[)le  to  right  and  left  fall 
to  bending  and  crossing  themselves  as  rapidly 
as  possible.  The  youngsters  esf)ecially,  who 
are  kept  in  front,  toward  the  rotunda,  bend  like 
growing  grain  in  a  summer's  gale,  and  cross 
themselves  as  if  troubled  by  mosquitoes. 
Hands  fly  from  forehead  to  breast,  and  from 
shoulder  to  shoulder,  while  the  bodv  l)ends  and 
sways,  and  occasionally  a  forehead  touches  the 
floor,  the  devout  worshipix'r  ))eing  down  on 
hands  and  knees. 

The  priest  walks  slowly  around  toward  the 
raised  platform  in  the  centre  and  disappears  in 
the  inner  room,  which  is  elevated  a  foot  or  two 
above  the  rotunda.  The  latticed  doors  meet 
behind  him,  and,  as  the  chalice  is  placed  upon 
the  little  altar,  the  ciu'tain  again  shuts  out  the 
view  from  the  congregation,   who  stand  v,ith 


ON  ALA  SKA 'S  JSIWIiE. 


81 


l)0\vc(l  heads  mentally  rcpoatinir  prayers,  as 
Mould  api)ear  tVoni  llieir  t're(iiient  ei'()ssinirf5. 
Xow  the  mysteries  ol'  transulistaiitiation  are 
takiiiii"  place.  Shortlv  the  eiirtaiu  is  aii^aiii 
thrown  hack,  the  priest  walks  out  wilh  a  silver 
ehalice  and  spooji,,  takes  position  on  the  lower 
step  of  the  dais,  ;uid  a  nuniher  of  women,  with 
children  in  their  arms,  step  forward  one  at  a 
time.  The  vounusters  are  from  a  few  months 
to  two  years  of  ai»:e,  and  as  thev  are  held  up 
the  priest  takes  a  small  portion  of  the  contents 
of  the  chalice  in  the  spoon  and  inserts  it  in  the 
child's  mouth.  The  forehead  of  the  child  is 
touched  with  the  clialice,  and  the  ceremony  of 
connnunion  is  com})l<'ted. 

Altogether  the  service  is  Siich  as  could  not 
fail  to  make  a  })rofound  im})ressi()n  on  the 
minds  of  h(nnl)le  pe()i)le  like  the  Aleuts  ;  and  as 
they  stand  bowinu;  and  crossiuii"  themselves,  or 
touchiniT  their  forehead.-,  to  the  Hoor,  the  \()uni»- 
est  ii'irls,  with  small  colored  shawls,  worsted 
scarfs,  or  hright  handkerchiefs  over  their  heads 
and  about  their  full  olive  faces,  the  youni>' 
ladies  in  hats  somewhat  nay  wilh  bhu^  and  white 
ribbons  and  feathers,  the  older  women  in  head- 
gear of  a  more  sul)due(l  diaracter.  the  etfect  is 
exceedingly  pictures(jue.  As  to  religion,  it  is 
wilh  thes(»  people  a   matter  of  faith,   pure  and 


■A 


!   ■ 


i: 


#! 


\  \ 


I  ' 


Ift 

H^ 

f    i 

1       I 

1 


i 


liiVl 


82 


^    Ti?//'   7'0   .l/..l,S7r.4. 


niiadiiller.'itod.  It  is  the  priest's  business  to 
conduct  tlicni  to  Iicjim'u.  All  ilicy  Inivc  to  do 
is  what  they  arc  told,  and  this  they  api)ear 
in  iii'eat  earnestness,  at  least  in  form. 


r> 


to  do 

The  Kussians  had  the  advantage  over  others 
in  dealinii'  with  these  })eople,  Avhich  is  the  result 
of  both  usinu"  the  same  lanuuaii'e  and  of  l()i!i>' 
domination,  which  c()m})letely  subjected  them 
to  the  will  of  what  tliev  ibr  i»enerations  felt 
be  a  superior  race  backed  by  unlimited  i)()wcr. 
The  children  <>-ot  some  cxceedin<»lv  ])rimitive 
rudiments  of  l)0()k  knowledae  in  the  Kussian 
laniruaiie,  but  not  enouah  to  hurt  them  with  all 
the  proverbial  i)erils  of  limited  learninir.  Now 
the  xVlaska  Commercial  Company  supports  an 
Knii'lish  school  upon  this  as  u[)on  each  of  the 
seal  islan(]s.  T'ntil  Knii'lish  becomes  the  lan- 
iiuaiic   of  the   count r\ 


J  ' 


jnerican  missionaries 
need  not  look  to  do  nuicli  i>roselvtini>:  from  the 
Russian  church.  In  truth  there  does  not  seem 
to  be  anv  reason  whv  they  should.  The  Aleut)" 
are  peaceful  and  contfiiled,  and  will  ask  for 
nothinir  that  their  present  condition  does  not 
alford  them  until  their  characters  shall  have 
})een  changed  bv  the   intermin<>lini>-  of  Anolo- 


Saxon    blood. 


A^ 


iien 


th 


IS    occurs 


they 


may 


want  politics  and  im  iin})roved  reliiiion. 


Just  now  they  get  ujong  very  well,  all  things 


ox  A  L  A  SKA'S   SHOlih'. 


83 


considered.  They  are  l;izy,  Imt,  as  lliey  have 
to  .sid)si.st  on  fish  and  oil  as  sta})les,  il  could  not 
he  exi)eeted  that  they  should  he  euterprisinij 
or  industrious.  They  may  sin,  hut  they  m) 
(o  eont'ession  and  are  i>uaranteed  foriiiveness. 
They    iro    to    ehureh   on    Sunday   mornini'"  and 


liav 


e  a  dance  in  the  eveninir. 


A  d; 


ui'-c  on  Sun- 


[|i 


ly 


nil 


:ht 


IS  consK 


lered 


a   \'cry    j)n)])er  thinir, 


and  as  there  is  no  o-ossip  and  nothiiiii'  stronii'cr 
than  tea  for  tiieni  to  drink,  i)erlia[)s  no  i^reat 
liarni  eonies  of  it,  ( )nalaska  consists  of  ;i  stra<>"- 
ixWwx  .settlement  of  some  sixty  houses  of  natives 
and  a  few  C'om})any  l)uildinL's,  situated  u})on  a 
sand-spit,  ahout  six  miles  Irom  (  aptain's  IJay, 
^vhere  Cook,  the  navigator.  "  intered  in  l'S()4-5. 
The  oriii'inal  Aleutian  houses  xwv  called  hara- 
baras,  l)einir  nothinii"  moi'c  nor  less  than  such 
constructions  as  are  known  in  the  States  by 
the  name  of  root-houses.  They  are  earthen  huts, 
the  floors  of  which  are  ahout  two  feet  helow  the 
outside  urface.  They  are  .su})})lied  Avith  one 
door  and  a  small  window,  heinu-  damp,  <lark, 
and  dirtv.  From  a  sanitary  point  of  yicnv 
they  are  not  to  he  compariMl  with  the  Indian 
tepees  on  the  i)lains,  whi<'li  are  liiiht  and  well 
ventilated.  Thes(>  l)araharas  are  constructed 
with  a  \  iew  to  ohtaininu'  the  urc^atest  amount 
of    warmth    for    the    smallest    expenditure    of 


■in- 

:!' 


\ 


•- 


f  1 


,1  *  ; 

'mi. 

4  ' 


\m 


n 

r 


M 


hH': 


.;^S..t 


^\l 

;       j' 

:    i'^ 

1 

■ 


I 


w 


«1 


J    TUir    TO  ALASKA. 


fuel,  for  in  foniier  timrs  fuel  was  exceedingly 
scarce. 

Since  Icavino-  Kadiak,  about  seven  hundred 
miles  to  the  eastward,  we  have  not  seen  any 
standinix  tinil)cr  laru'cr  than  a  walkinir-stick. 
At  present  the  Alaska  Connnercial  CV)nipanv 
hrinii's  u])  coal  from  Naiiaimo  for  use  on  ])oard 
their  vessels  and  in  their  offices  and  other  build- 
ings, but  previous  to  this  the  only  fuel  in  use 
on  these  islands  was  drift  from  the  northward 
and  a  vincv  sort  of  shrul)  called  "chik-a-snik." 
Native  women  now  go  up  to  the  mountains,  and 
they  do  not  have  far  to  go,  where  they  gather 
the  "'timber,"  which  is  rolled  into  bundles  like 
hay,  and  carried  down  ui)on  their  backs.  Tliese 
women  mav  be  seen  cominii'  over  the  hills  in 
single  tile,  loaded  down  with  '*  chik-a-snik," 
like  pack  trains  in  the  mines.  They  are  Chris- 
tians, but,  when  loaded,  look  very  much  like 
scjuaws  unconverted. 

When  chik-a-snik  was  the  only  fuel,  as  it  is 
still  with  a  i»reat  majoritv  of  the  Aleuts,  the 
barabiira  was  found  to  be  the  warmest  habita- 
tion tor  the  people.  They  boil  tea  water  with 
chik-a-snik  as  fuel,  and  that  is  the  princit)al 
part  of  their  cooker\ .  Their  fish  is  also  pre- 
pared over  it  when  not  eaten  raw  For  waiinth 
they  formerly  depended  on  their   ur  ami  feather 


0NALA>'6KA'iS  >^  11  ORE. 


85 


clothing  Jind  crowding  together  in  close  (iiuir- 
ters.  xVt  present  some  of  the  natives  occupy, 
rent-tree,  small  frame  houses,  built  and  owned 
by  the  Alaska  Commercial  Company. 

The  villages  of  Unga  and  Helkoosky,  farther 
to  the  eastward,  are  similar  to  Onalaska  in  the 
matter  of  huts,  diet,  and  fuel,  hut  they  are  not 
such  important  settlements  as  this.  The  natives 
live  principally  in  harabaras ;  they  rely  on 
driftwood  and  chik-a-snik  for  fuel ;  they  hunt 
the  sea  otter  for  wealth,  subsist  principally  on 
fish,  and  profess  the  Greek  Catholic  faith.  As 
a  rule  they  are  not  neat  in  their  persons  and 
seldom  attractive  in  appearance.  Some  of  the 
women  are  taught  to  dress  after  the  style  of  the 
humbler  of  their  more  enliu^htened  sisters,  but 
the  general  etlect  presented  by  them  as  they 
attend  to  their  various  duties  is  not  very  fasci- 
natin":. 

The  bidarkie  is  a  boat  used  by  the  Aleuts 
in  huntin2:  and  tishin"-.  A  frame  fifteen  to 
twenty  feet  in  length  is  constructed  of  narrow 
light  strips  of  wood,  lashed  together  with 
thongs  of  seal  skin,  and  this  frame  is  covered 
with  skins  of  sea  lion,  from  which  the  hair 
has  been  scraped.  The  seams  are  closed  with 
grease,  and  as  the  entire  frame  is  covered  over 
with  the  exception  of  one  or  two  round  hatches 


m        -  >  .fi. ;.  n 


r    ' 


1,     'i 


I 


■J 

i. 

m 


80 


A    iniV    TO   ALASKA. 


or  ll()l(^s  lor  the  [);i(l(ll('r,s  to  sit  in,  llu'V  luivc  u 
cnif't  liii'lit  Mild  M'.-iwortliv.  One  or  two,  some*- 
tiiiK's  three,  men  will  li'o  to  scii  in  one  of  tlioso 
trail  bjirks,  and  tlioiiiih  the  waves  may  dash 
over  them,  no  wider  is  shij)i)ed  so  h)ni»'  as  tlie 
t'raine  holds  toLt'eth<'r.  In  addition  to  the  i)ad- 
dlers,  who  sit  in  th(3  iiatehes,  their  wives  and 
children  arc  sometimes  stowed  awav  in  the  liold, 
so  that  thev  ai-e  eiitindv  out  of  sialit  within  tlic 
l)oat,  lyinii;  ])etween  the  feet  and  lei^s  of  the 
men.     Fish  and  i'urs  are  similarly  transported. 

At  Kadiak  the  natives  use  a  siniric  p.'iddle, 
shaped  like  a  narrow  juid  pointed  s})adc,  but 
the  i)eoj)le  to  the  westward  of  that  island  invari- 
ably have  double-l)laded  i)addles,  Avhieh  they  dip 
alternately  i)ort  and  starboard.  The  bidarkic; 
is  const rueted  somewhat  afl(>r  the  model  of  a 
workinii-boat,  l)Ut  so  liiiht  on  the  water  that 
a  i)erson  not  accustomed  to  iiaviii'atinii'  it  is 
extremely  liable  to  capsize,  unless  having  an 
expert  on  board  to  l)alance  the  craft.  The 
naiives  are  very  dexterous  in  the  nianaiiement 
of  the  bidarkies,  as  may  lie  supposed. 

No  matter  where  human  bein<r.s  may  be  cast 
awav,  thev  acconnnodate  themselves  to  their 
surroundiniis.  Here  is  a  [)e()})le  who,  living  in 
a  foggy,  rainy,  cold,  inh()s})itable  country,  go 
to  work  and  produce  every  jirticle  necessary  to 


|:i| 


oX.i/^ASh'A'S   SIIORI-:. 


87 


tlK'ir  cxisloiico.  'I'licv  cjitcli  lisli,  wlilt'h  is  dried 
for  winter  use  aiul  soaked  in  oil  to  nialve  it 
diii'estil)le.  The  seal  is  captured  for  meal  and 
clothini^.  Sea-lion  sl<ins  are  used  for  llie  eon- 
struetion  of  l»oats,  in  wliich  \\\(\  natives  ply 
their  trade.  Tiie  intestines  of  th(!  seal  are  pre- 
pared for  the  manufaeture  of  waterproof  shirts. 
Waterproof  l)0()ts  are  made,  with  sea-lion  flip- 
pers for  soles,  seal  tli})pers  for  uppers,  and 
walrus  throats  for  tops.  The  sea  is  watched  for 
wood,  the  mountains  are  climbed  for  the  vincy 
ehik-u-snik,  a  liuht  fucd,  hut  still  of  service, 
whale  sinews  are  used  for  thread,  walrus  ivory 
for  spears,  and  tanned  hird-skins  for  parkies, 
or  outside  robes,  which  are  worn  in  dry,  winter 
weather,  and  warm  ii'arments  they  are.  So 
situated  and  provided  for,  the  Aleuts  are  eon- 
tented  and  attached  to  their  homes,  fond  of  their 
children  and  wives,  seldom  n(»alin<>'  them  except 
in  the  way  of  kindness. 

As  I  have  said  that  the  Aleutian  Islands  are 
not  suitable  for  a!>Ticultural  or  ])astoral  jnir- 
poses,  justice  demands  the  admission  that  a 
dozen  head  of  cattle,  a  tlock  of  about  twenty 
sheep,  numerous  chickens,  and  a  f(nv  pii»;s  are 
seen  ii^.  ^''  -daska,  but  their  presence  is  not  due 
to  noi  a)):  reeiated  l)v  the  Aleuts.  Traders 
ow'n   ml    i.herish   them.      The    natives    would 


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A    Tliir   TO  ALA.sKA. 


1    I 


rather  hiixc  a  dead  whale  drift  aj^horc  than  to 
own  the  best  croi)  of  the  biirijest  farm  in  the 
United  States.  Dead  whale  is  a  fjreat  hlessinir 
in  the  Aleutian  part  of  our  Alaska  possessions, 
and  airi'it'ultural  products  are  but  little  sought 
after  or  valued.  The  dead  whale  may  be  so 
putrid  that  the  effluvia  jirising  from  it  Aviil 
blacken  the  white  i)aint  of  a  vessel  lying  orie 
hundred  3'ards   distant,  but,  all  the   same,  the 


whale 


IS  a 


ble 


ssmsr. 


JNIen  au'l  boys  di<j:  holes  through  the  mon- 
ster's skin  and  descend  into  the  lower  regions 
to  excavate  the  choice  parts.  Children  claw 
out  long  strips  of  l)lul)ber,  on  one  end  of  which 
they  begin  and  chew  until,  inch  by  inch,  yards 
of  it  disappear,  and  their  little  round  bellies  are 


•oun( 
putted  out  like  aldermanic  paunche? 


while  the 


oil  runs  in  two  small  streams  down  from  the 
corners  of  their  sweet  baby  mouths  —  and  they 
are  happy. 


I 


CHAPTER  X. 


SEALSKIN    SACQUES. 


rpiIE  seal  "fisheries"  of  the  Pryliilov  Islands 
-*-  in  Behring  Seii  control  the  markets  of  the 
world  in  the  connnodity  which  they  i)roduce 
in  greatest  abundance.  Of  the  two  ishmds  in 
the  group  upon  which  tlie  fur  seal  is  taken,  St. 
Paul  furnishes  eighty  thousand  skins  annually, 
which  is  about  one-half  of  all  that  are  sent  to 
market. 

The  fur  sealskins  of  the  world  are  mainly 
taken  as  follows  :  St.  Paul's,  eii>litv  thousand  ; 
St.  George's,  twenty  thousand  (one  hundred 
thousand  from  these  two  islands  bein;j  all  that 
our  government  authorizes  the  lessees  to  take)  ; 
from  C()l>per  and  liehring  Islands,  on  the 
Asiatic  side  of  Behrin";  Sea,  twentv-rive  thou- 
sand;  mouth  of  the  La  Plata  Kiver,  Brazil, 
about  five  thousand ;  Crozette  Islands,  Indian 
Ocean,  fifteen  hundred ;  from  Shetland  and 
Falkland  Islands,  off  Cape  Horn,  five  thousand, 

89 


90 


A    TRIP    TO   ALASKA. 


and  a  fow  hundreds  from  Ro])l)in'.s  Island,  in  the 
Okhotsk  Sea.  In  all  perhaps  less  than  one 
hundred  and  sixty  thousand  sealskins  arc  taken 
annually,  ineludiiii,^  those  which  are  shot  along 
the  eoast  IVoni  California  to  Alaska.  Althouirh 
less  than  live  thousand  are  taken  aniuiallv  on 
the  Shetlands  and  Falklands,  not  less  than 
twenty  thousand  so-called  "Shetland  fur  seal- 
skins" are  sold  every  year.  The  i)ossihiiity  of 
such  an  incoherent  state  of  trade  is  one  of  the 
peculiarities  of  commerce,  caused  by  the  fact 
that  the  Shetland  fur  seals  are  supposed  to  he 
the  I)cst  in  the  world.  Hut  the  Alaska  fur  seals 
are  perhaps  the  best. 

K()l)bin\s  Keef,  in  the  Okhotsk  Sea,  was  once 
a  rich  fur  tield,  but  the  seals  have  been  almost 
exterminated  or  driven  awav.  The  iirst  seals 
discovered  on  llobl)ins  Keef  were  found  by  a 
cruiser  named  Allen,  from  Xew  Lond(m,  Con- 
necticut, al)out  twentv-tive  vears  a<ro.  Allen 
was  an  old  whaler,  who  had  lived  ashore  for  a 
number  of  vears,  but  in  18r)8  he  set  out  in  a 
new  ship  to  cruise  for  oil.  Touching  at  Rob- 
bin's  Reef,  he  found  fur  seals  there  in  such 
number  as  to  enable  him  to  make  up  a  very  valua- 
ble carm)  of  their  skins.  lie  loaded  and  hurried 
down  to  Honolulu  for  salt  to  preserve  them, 
and  finally  got  his  prize  safety  to  market.     The 


SEA  LSKIN  SA CQUES. 


91 


h 

li- 

(l 

ie 


profits  of  that  vo^'Uiro  paid  for  his  new  sliip  jiiid 
eiiaiilecl  the  iollv  ol«l  sea  (ioij  to  retire  oiiee 
more  and  live  liap})ily  ever  afterward;  hut 
witliin  two  years  the  seals  were  nearly  extermi- 
nated in  that  loealitv. 

AVhen  we  piirehased  Ahiska  we  ohtained, 
along  with  an  inMiiense  amount  of  worthless  ter- 
ritory, two  islands  in  liehring's  Sea  whieh  arc  a 
mine  of  wealth,  inexhaustible  and  inealeulal)le 
in  value  so  long  as  i)roperly  managed.  The 
largest  of  these  two  islands,  St.  Paul's,  is 
situated  in  north  latitude  57^  8'  and  west  lonij-i- 
tude  170°  13',  and  is  a})()ut  twelve  miles  long 
by  eight  wide  l)etween  extreme  points.  St. 
Oeoriije's  is  situated  forty  miles  to  the  southward 
from  St.  Paul's.  From  these  two  islands  one 
hundred  thousand  fur  sealskins  —  and,  aeeording 
to  law,  no  more  —  may  be  taken  annually.  As 
they  form  the  most  extensive  and  valuable  fur 
seal  fisheries  in  the  known  world,  some  ae- 
eount  of  what  oeeurs  liere  may  be  aeceptable 
to  the  ladies  if  to  no  other  readers,  for  every 
lady  is  supposed  to  liave  a  sealskin  saeque,  or 
is  suspected  ojf  a  desire  to  own  one ;  and  of 
course  she  should  know  something  about  the 
()ri<i:in  of  the  garment  she  wears.  This  knowl- 
edge,  hoAvever,  nnist  be  limited  at  best,  for  the 
comings  and  goings  of  the  fur  seal  are  so  en- 


i 


■\il 


•m 


■■m 


1)2 


A    riiir   TO  ALASKA. 


I^t 


velopcd  in  nivstcrv  llwit  a  irivat  deiil  about  their 
inovcinonls  is  niorciy  conjectural. 

Tlic  Prybilov  Islands  arc  named  in  honor  of 
a  Kussian  trader,  who  discovered  them  a  hun- 
dred years  ai>(),  when  sealskin  saeques  were  not 
so  much  in  vogue  as  now.  There  wei'e  many 
Kussian  traders  amoni::  the  Aleutian  Islands  in 
those  days,  and  it  was  while  huntinir  tor  new 
sea-otter  irrounds  for  his  em^doyers  that  Pry- 
hilov  discovered  St.  (icorge's,  one  hundred  and 
ninety  miles  north  of  the  nearest  point  of  the 
Aleutian  Arehipelairo.  St.  Paul's  was  discov- 
ered durino;  the  followinix  year.  When  first 
found,  the  islands,  which  are  of  comparatively 
recent  volcanic  formation,  had  no  inhabitants, 
Aleuts  beinir  brouirht  in  bv  the  l^ussians  for  the 
work  of  sealinc:.  For  a  number  of  vears  (Pry- 
bilov's  discovery  soon  becoming  known  to  the 
other  traders)  there  was  great  competition  and 
an  indiscriminate  slauirhter  of  seals,  which 
threatened  their  extinction  ;  but  later  the  Kus- 
sian irovernment  leased  all  Alaska  to  one  com- 
pan}',  and  then  steps  were  taken  to  prevent  the 
extermination  of  the  valuable  animal. 

The  seals  were  protected  so  as  to  yield  a 
certain  revenue  till  Alaska  was  transferred  to 
the  United  States,  when,  during  the  interreg- 
num between  the  departure  of  the  Russians  and 


SKALSk'IN  SACiiUES. 


98 


11- 
Ihc 

a 
to 

llld 


installjjtioii  of  our  ufoviTiiuKMit  in  actual  posses- 
sion, a  ir<MUM"al  onslaught  was  made  hy  every 
whaler  and  trader  under  the  Anieriejin  flag  in 
these  waters,  so  that  extermination  of  the  seals 
again  seemed  imminent.  Finally  the  islands 
were  leased  to  one  eoin})any,  to  the  exclusion  of 
all  others,  hut  with  limitations  as  to  the  number  of 
skins  —  not  exeeedino;  one  hundred  thousand  — 
to  be  taken  annually.  Under  this  arrangement 
the  numl)er  of  seals  is  steadily  increasing,  and 
the  lessees  i)ay  al)out  three  hundred  thousand 
dollars  annually  into  the  Treasury.  Competi- 
tion in  seal  slaui::hter  Avould  destroy  all  the  seals 
and  this  revenue  within  two  years. 

The  matured  male  fur  seal,  when  he  draws  up 
out  of  the  ocean  after  a  six  or  eiirht  months' 
cruise  in  waters  to  us  unknown,  is  a  magniticent 
animal.  Bold,  bad,  and  beautiful,  he  takes  a 
position  in  May  among  the  basaltic  rocks  which 
are  washed  by  the  surf  in  storms,  braces  his 
biT'id  chest  upon  his  fore  flippers,  stretches  his 
heavily  maned,  gloss}',  undulating  neck,  throws 
his  tapering  head  aloft,  and  roars  forth  a  hoarse 
bellow  of  deHancc  to  all  the  world.  He  closes 
with  a  jxuttural  ijrowl  that  sounds  like  two 
quarts  of  pebbles  rattling  in  his  throat ;  while 
down  by  the  corners  of  his  threatening  mouth, 
stockaded  with  ivory  fangs,  droop  the  long, 
gray  lines  of  his  aristocratic  moustache. 


i' 


I 

,4J 


a 


m 


rr 


94 


A    TlilP   TO  ALASKA. 


Hero  ho  takes  his  stand,  and  in  this  position 
he  will  meet  his  expected  i'aniily,  or  death.  In 
the  lull  vi<j^()r  and  power  of*  a  i)eiteet  physical 
condition,  he  may  he  killed,  hut  cannot  l)e  driven 
away  from  the  i>round  which  he  has  chosen  I'or 
his  seraglio,  for  he  is  a  i)olygamist  of  the  most 
uncompromising  character. 

In  June  comes  his  multitudinous  bride.  Tlie 
male  fur  seal  is  a  huge,  hut  symmetrical,  brown- 
ish bulk  of  six  to  eight  hundred  pounds.  The 
female  is  a  meek,  modest,  submissive-looking 
little  creature  averai»:inij:  about  a  hundred- 
weight.  She  creeps  up  out  of  the  water  with  a 
demure,  downcast  countenance,  with  the  shinini; 
hair  neatly  brushed  back  from  her  pretty  little 
head,  and  —  arrayed  in  a  brown  sacque,  think 
you?  Not  at  all.  She  is  a  (Quakerish  looking 
matron  in  unpretending  steel  gray,  but  sleek 
and  tidy,  without  a  wrinkle  in  her  dress. 

There  could  not  be  a  greater  contrast  in 
seeming  than  that  between  the  male  and  female 
fur  seal.  He,  aggressive,  fierce,  and  blood- 
thirsty ;  she,  meek  and  lowly,  but,  as  rumors 
go,  sly  withal,  and  were  she  sole  mistress  of  her 
lord's  affections  would,  no  doubt,  exhibit  a 
temper  of  her  own.  Competition  keeps  her 
spirit  down,  poor  thing.  There  are  more 
females   than  males. 


Sh'A LSKIN  SACQUES. 


95 


r 


Both  mail!  and  fcMnalo  seals  arc  perfect 
models  of  i^raee  and  svminctrv.  There  i.s  not 
an  angle  in  the  contour  of  either,  hut  in  size, 
color,  and  character  they  are  oi)po8ites.  One 
reprc^sent.s  strength  and  courage,  the  other 
timidity  an<l  alfection. 

The  l)al)\'  seals  are  hlack,  playful  little  imps, 
that  roll  and  wrestle  with  each  other  on  the 
grass,  kiss  and  quarrel,  learn  from  their  fond 
mannnas  how  to  swim,  and  start  out  on  their 
tirst  vova<re  to  sea  in  autumn,  or  furnish  the 
Aleuts  with  veal  through  the  winter.  Some 
mav  swim  and  some  must  boil  in  their  habv- 
hood.  Some  are  swallowed  l)y  sharks  or 
"killers,"  and  some  return  to  celebrate  their 
birth  anniversary  where  they  lirst  saw  the 
fo<>".  In  their  second  year  thev  arc  safe  on 
the  Prybilov  Islands,  but  exposed  to  danger 
along:  the  coast,  where  neither  ajjc  nor  sex 
is  spared  by  those  who  may  be  able  to  shoot 
or  si)ear  them.  During  their  third  year  the 
males  may  be  rapped  on  the  sconce  at  St. 
Paul's  or  St.  George's,  wlierever  they  haul 
out,  and  in  their  fourth  year  their  chances 
for  living  to  old  age  are  considerably  less. 
At  five  }ears  they  are  comparatively  safe 
again ;  at  six,  assurance  policies  might  be 
issued    to   them   at    small   premiums ;    and   at 


M 

II! 


|1:<1 

»!***' 


i! 


3 


96 


A    Th'/f  TO  ALASKA. 


evAxi  (lu'v  have  nothin<?  to  fear  from  the  lessees 
of  tlie  Pryhilov  iiroup. 

The  "pup  "  seals  may  he  killed  hy  the  natives 
in  the  fall  in  sufficient  numhers  to  aff'ord  food 
duriiif]^  the  winter ;  Imt  the  fur  sealskin  is  not 
njarkotahle  hefore  the  second  year ;  thoy  jire  at 
their  hest  when  the  animal  is  four  or  five  vears 
old,  hut  after  six  the  coatin*^  of  the  hide  runs 
gradually  from  fur  to  hair,  till  the  latter  pre- 
dominates and  the  skin  is  not  valuahle.  The 
females  are  never  killed  here,  unless  by  accident, 
when  slauirhterinsj  a  dr(»ve. 

The  cojist  lines  of  the  two  islands  are 
lari^ely  occupied  by  what  are  known  as  "  rook- 
eries," or  breedin<^-gr()unds  of  the  seal,  which 
come  here  once  a  year.  A  sandy  beach  is  not 
much  favored  by  the  seals.  They  select  locali- 
ties where  basaltic  boulders  abound  as  plenti- 
fully as  hills  in  a  potato  patch,  and  considerably 
larger.  The  "bulls,"  as  they  are  technically 
called,  arrive  first.  Where  the}'  go  in  the  fall, 
or  where  they  come  from  in  the  spring,  is  maiidy 
conjectural,  but  as  soon  as  the  ice  melts  or 
floats  from  the  shores  of  these  islands  the  bulls 
appear  and  take  positions  among  the  rocks,  all 
laying  claim  to  tracts  nearly  uniform  in  size  and 
shape,  about  twenty  feet  in  diameter,  on  an 
average.     Some  seasons  are  so  late  in  opening 


SEA L 8Kiy  iSAVQL 'KiS. 


\\\ 


IS 

In 
1(1 


that   the  ice  is  (\\\<f  jiwjiy  fVoin   tlic  sliorcs  I»y 


th 


il  tl 


10  t'oiupjmy  s  oniployi'ivs  iii  oiiUt  lo  pcrnii 
si'tils   to  liind. 

Tlic  first    to  arrive  aiv  the  stroiiirost  of  tl 
seals,    and     tliev    take    up    claims    nearest    tl 


le 


water 


Tl 


lo-e    \v 


hiel 


I   are 


lat 


er  or  weaker  are 


driven  t'urthei'  i)aek  to  less  desirable  places. 
Miii^ht  makes  rii:ht  in  these  matters,  —  seals 
wliicli  are   not    lir-t-class   liuliters  uoinjr  to  tlie 


IS    Ji    ease 


of    tl 


1(3 


wall    or  u})    the    hhitK.      It 
survival    of   the    //'//</est. 

The  old  hulls  occupy  their  i)re-emi)tions  for 
weeks  without  lioinir  into  the  water,  awaiting 
the  iirrival  of  the  females,  sle(;|)ini;-  upon  their 
<]^round,  neither  eatini:'  nor  drinkinur  durinii'  that 


time.  This,  however,  is  but  preliminary  to  a 
much  longer  vigil  and  last,  which  continues  for 
three  months  after  the  arrival  of  the  females. 
During  this  time  they  live  hy  absorption  of 
the  blubber  which  tlu\y  accumulate  whil(» 
away.  When  they  de])art  thev  are  weak  and 
lean.  When  they  return  they  are  sleek  and 
fat. 

If  there  is  fighting  over  the  pr(>emi)tion  and 
holding  of  ground  for  the  harem,  there  is  a 
much  irreater  struirijle  a  few  weeks  later.  AVhen 
the  females  arrive  the  old  Turks  in  waitinuf 
dunce  down  to  the  water's  edire  to  escort  them 


t  'J 
,  PI 

,1  II 

m 


.*-v 


A 


i)H 


A    riiir  TO  ALASKA. 


% 


to  llic   lijironis.      Thrii  the   lijriitiiiij:  lK'«nns   in 

r*  n  ~ 

canit'st,  tln!  contcslMiits  tcaiiiii::  cIiihijks  oC  fur 
out  of  I'juh  otluT  lor  till'  |>rivili'«^o  ot*  doiii^^  llio 
liouors  and  tsikiii",'  the  party  in  tslci'l-^nMy  undt^r 
their  protection.  Iliiif  a  dozen  nmies  may  Ix' 
en_i:a;:t'(l  lor  a  moment  in  a  very  ron^h  and 
indiscriminate  tumble  over  a  new  arrival,  hut 
when  the  water  is  tilled  with  new  conjer«  there 
is  no  time  to  he  wa>tcd  in  j)r()loii«>ed  stru<rglt's, 
and  as  soon  as  one  gallant  is  driven  out  of  u 
contest  he  tui'ns  his  attention  to  the  nearest 
other  charmer  that  mav  be  landin«j:.  And  thus 
alliiirs  are  so  conducted  that  the  honors  are 
pretty  evenly  distrihuted  alonir  the  water  front 
and  for  a  few  rows  hack  from  the  landing;  ])ut 
the  elderly  raUes  to  the  rear  are  often  left  to 
sigh  in  celibacy  all  sunnner,  Avliile  more  fortunate 
lords  of  the  seal  kingdom  revel  in  the  Utopian 
luxury  of  fifteen  wives  apieee. 

There  arc  several  classes  of  male  seals  which 
are  dei)rived  of  the  delights  and  refming  in- 
fluences of  female  society.  There  are  young 
bachelors  which  have  never  ^ct  had  the  courage 
to  go  in  and  fight  for  a  claim,  being  api)arently 
awed  into  remaining  at  a  respectable  and  safe 
distance  from  the  i)otent  brown  and  tawny 
seniors.  These  vouns:  fellows  haul  out  in 
crowds  of  thousands  by  themselves  close  to  the 


s/cALShfy  s.irQrEs. 


t '  • ' 


^v.'ilor  and  not  far  dlsliint  from  (lie  scrnirlios. 
'Vhoy  iim  from  one  to  four  or  five  years  old, 
an<l  tlicy  altcrnato  thoir  paslinics  Ix'twccMJ 
lyini;  on  their  hacks  ainonir  the  rocks  —  whci'c^ 
tlicy  fan  iho'w  heated  hodies  with  a  iiind  flipper, 
if  it  i.s  a  wai'ni  (h'vdav  —  and  ufcMlinijr  (h)\vii  into 
tiie  wat(»r  in  front  of  the  old  Turks'  sunnner 
residences  wher!'  thev  endeavor  wi!  varviuL' 
success    to   draw   llic    females    into    sl\    llirta- 

ti(MlS. 

Notwithstanding  the  fierce  jealousy  ^ith 
whi  •!'.  the  females  are  watched  and  i»uar'l(Ml, 
and  contrary'  to  what  woidd  he  c.\[)ected  from 
their  meek  and  sanctified  appearance*,  then; 
are  hreaches  of  decorum  occasionally,  which  no 
conscientious  })(M*son  would  attempt  to  defend, 
and  elopements  which,  of  course,  cannot  he 
excused  and  ma}'  he,  possibly,  never  forgiven. 
Some  of  these  romantic  affairs  lead  to  serious 
consefunmces,  nianv  a  voimir  fellow  retirinir 
from  them  so  out  of  repair  as  to  seriously  depre- 
ciate his  marketable  value. 

In  cases  of  elopement  the  iray  Lothario  is 
irenerally  handled  according  to  the  custom  of 
the  world  in  such  cases,  and  his  guilty  partner 
treated  with  great  leniency  ;  but  there  are  excej)- 
tions.  Instead  of  quietly  and  carefully  taking 
her  by  the  l)ack  of  the  neck  and  carrying  her  to 


:    ti 


Ml  a 


^^n 

w 

!     \ 

100 


A   TRIP   TO  ALASKA. 


Vi\J 


^1 


'-'■■■' 


.;-4- 


Ir" 


tlic  (lonicstic  circle  as  at  first  landiiiir,  licr  lord 
and  master,  provoked  out  of  I'lirther  f'orl)ear- 
aiice  ])\  lV(M]uent  cscai)ades,  Mill  soinetinies 
jralloi)  throui:h  the  faiuilv,  knockiiii'"  his  other 
wives  right  and  left,  bouncing  over  the  babies  in 
his  anoer  and  indignation,  and,  overt akinir  the 
I'eniale  lleeing  from  her  home,  thrashes  her  so 
soundly  with  his  llij)i)ers  that  she  i)uts  up  her 
little  nose  to  his,  kisses  him  in  token  of  sub- 
mission and  better  behavior,  and  then  creeps 
back,  ap])arent]y  subdued  and  deeply  penitent. 

It  is  i)ainful,  however,  to  ])e  compelled  to 
admit  that  many  elopements  succeed,  particu- 
lar! v  toward  the  close  of  the  season,  when  the 
lords  of  the  rookeries  are  worn  out  with  watch- 
ing and  fasting.  Then  the  young  fellows  out 
in  the  surf  ])ra<'tice  their  most  fascinating  antics 
to  attract  attention,  and  many  a  motlier,  osten- 
sibly iioiuii*  down  to  teach  her  bai»v  seal  to 
swim,  returns  no  more,  and  so,  gradually,  the 
social  circle  on  shore  is  broken  \\\)  for  the 
season. 

Seal  killing  on  these  islands  for  furs  is  nearly 
all  done  in  about  six  weeks  —  from  June  10  to 
July  20.  When  seals  are  wanted  for  meat  the 
"l)ups"  are  preferred,  but  for  fur  the  four-year 
olds  are  considered  best.  Awkward  as  seals 
may  appear  when  moving  on  land,  they  can  get 


SEALt^KIN  *Vvl  CijUKti. 


101 


over  the  groiuul  as  fast,  for  a  few  rods  and 
under  fivorahle  circumstances,  as  a  man  would 
care  to  run.  Their  powers  of  locomotion  are 
almost  entirely  confined  to  thj  forequarters,  the 
u:utta-pcrcha-like  character  of  the  iiippers  serv- 
ing- to  raise  the  body  and  propel  it  forward. 
The  hinder  portion  of  the  body,  when  the  seal 
travels  on  land,  works  somewhat  after  the 
fashion  of  an  angle  worm  or  cateri)illar,  gather- 
ing itself  together  and  springing  forward  as  if 
connected  with  the  forequarters  by  some  power- 
ful elastic  attachment.  With  the  fore  llii)i)ers 
the  seal  can  raise  itself  upon  a  rock  or  knoll  two 
feet  in  hei!i:ht,  and  as  the  animal  is  stron^j:  the 
hinder  i)arts  are  compelled  to  follow.  The  hind 
flippers,  which  act  as  rudders  when  in  the 
water,  drag  along  when  the  animal  moves  on 
land,  like  a  couple  of  four-button  kid  gloves 
pinned  upon  the  rear  extremity  of  a  ladj^'s 
dress.  In  the  water  they  are  quite  handy  for 
steering,  but  on  land  they  only  go  for  orna- 
ments, or  for  fans  on  proper  occasions. 

The  best  time  for  drivinii:  fur  seals  is  on  a 
rainy  day,  when  the  sun  is  obscured  and  the 
grass  i  J  wet,  enabling  the  hinder  portion  of  the 
body  t<)  slide  along  as  easily  and  elegantly  as  a 
dress-train  on  a  velvet  carpet.  On  a  dr}',  sun- 
shiny day  they  cannot  be  driven,  but,  becoming 


-Jt- 


102 


A    TRIP  TO   ALASKA. 


hejitcd,  fall  prostnitc,  jind  will  not  rise  for  any 
amount  of  thretitcning.  On  such  days,  too,  if 
not  disturbed,  they  lie  on  their  backs  at  the 
hauling  places,  fanning  themselves  with  their 
hind  ilippers,  the  rookeries  then  reminding  one 
of  the  fluttering  in  a  crowded  theatre  or  fidl 
church  during  the  heated  term  •  but  the  seal 
fans  are  black  and  noiseless,  the  latter  l)eing  a 
quality  not  sufficiently  considered  by  some 
ladies  in  cultured  assemblages. 

Seals  being  fat  and  scant  of  breath,  and 
dressed  in  an  exceedingly  inappropriate  suit 
for  hot  weather,  seek  out  a  climate  of  fog 
and  rain  for  their  sunnnering  places.  That  is 
one  reason  why  they  come  to  the  Prybilov 
Islands,  where  mists  and  gloom  prevail  during 
the  summer  months,  sunshine  being  a  rarity 
and  an  abomination  to  the  seal  hunters.  On 
favorable  days  a  band  of  bachelor  seals  may  be 
driven  live  or  six  miles,  and  when  the  air  is 
very  cool,  the  grass  wet,  and  the  sk}^  cloudy, 
thej^  can  be  pushed  a  mile  in  an  hour.  Yet  they 
are  not  generally  considered  notable  pedes- 
trians. For  driving,  the  men  carry  staffs  four 
or  five  feet  in  length,  and  with  this  weapon 
they  go  among  the  seals,  opening  avenues  and 
cutting  off  portions  of  tlie  band  at  pleasure. 

The  seals  are   never  killed  near  the  "rook- 


SEJ L SKIN  SA CQ FES. 


103 


eries"  or  hauling  gromuls,  upon  wliich  they  land 
from  the  sea,  but  are  driven  awav  back  to  the 
settlement  when  possible,  llioui»li  in  some  eases 
they  are  slauglitered  at  remote  points  and  their 
skins  hauled  in.  liut  as  tlie  |)elts  weigh  about 
eight  pounds  when  Hrst  taken  off,  or  ten  pounds 
when  salted,  there  is  a  great  saving  in  transi)()r- 
tation  to  eompel  them  to  carry  their  own  skins 
and  l)lubl)er  in  wlien  pra(^ticable. 

On  the  afternoon  of  our  tirst  arrival  at  St. 
Paul's,  a  band  which  had  been  driven  three  miles 
and  a  half  was  seen  halted  on  a  hill,  unable  to 
proceed,  owing  to  the  warmth  of  the  day,  al- 
thouo:h  it  was  not  distressinij:  us  to  walk  about 
in  overcoats.  In  the  evening,  however,  they 
were  pushed  down  to  a  lagoon,  where  they  soon 
becan)e  cool,  after  which  they  moved  along 
without  nuich  troul)le. 

At  six  o'ck)ck  next  mornins:  killing  com- 
menced.  Just  before  this  hour  twenty  or  thirty 
natives  were  seen  iroins:  out  to  the  drove,  about 
half  a  mile  from  the  village.  They  might  have 
been  taken  for  a  party  of  machinists  organ- 
ized into  base-ball  clubs.  Xearly  all  wore  caps 
and  were  dressed  in  blue  denims  overalls  and 
jumpers.  About  a  dozen  of  the  party  carried 
hickor}"^  clubs  of  t'-o  '^'...neter  of  a  basc-1)all  bat, 
but  five  feet  in  ieni::tli.     The  others  had  i^nives. 


\  ■ 


i  -I 


r» 


1 


,1     ^^^, 

1    i' 

\l    ! 

'it  III 

U    i 

r-  1 
:  i   ! 

J  :      1 

1'  iJ 

104 


.4    miP  TO  ALASKA. 


Arriving  on  llic  ground  the  drivers  were 
found  to  have  cut  ofl'  about  one-iit'tli  of  llie  l)and, 
and  were  iriving  the  smaller  l)ody  a  chance  to 
cool  off.  After  a  few  minutes  a  nuni))cr  not  to 
exceed  fifty  or  sixty  were  (hi\ en  up  toAvard  the 
killers,  who  stood  close  together.  As  soon  as 
the  small  band  arrived  at  the  fatal  spot  they 
were  surrounded  l)v  the  men  with  elub.s,  who 
proceeded  with  the  utmost  diligence  to  ra}) 
them  on  the  nose  or  l)et\vecn  the  eyes.  A 
smart  rap  of  a  base-ball  club  on  the  tip  of  a  fur 
seal's  nose  puts  him  beyond  recovery.  Some 
urc  killed  by  beinsf  hit  ])etween  their  lariie, 
soft,  intelligent  eye^  (the  memory  of  which 
Mould  haunt  any  but  seal-killers),  and  others 
fall  senseless  from  a  blow  on  the  back  of  the 
neck,  (^ne  grou])  after  another  was  brought 
forward  and  knocked  down  so  rapidly  that  in 
less  than  three  hours  nine  hundred  and  ninety- 
seven  seals  had  been  killed  and  skinned.  Out 
of  each  small  band  driven  u^)  to  the  killers,  at 
least  twenty  per  cent  were  turned  away,  this 
practice  being  i)ursued  in  order  to  keep  up  the 
sui)ply  from  year  to  year. 

After  the  clubbers  followed  two  or  three  men 
with  knives,  who  cut  a  short  slit  in  the  skin 
between  the  fore  flippers  and  then  stabbed  the 
seal  to  the  heart.     Xext  succeeded  the  rippers, 


SEALSKIN  SACQUES. 


10') 


who  split  the  Hklii  lengthwise  along  the  belly 
and  cut  around  the  neck  and  flippers  to  make 
way  for  the  skinners,  who  will  not  i)erinit  their 
blades  to  touch  the  outer  portion  of  the  hide, 
where  sand  might  dull  the  keen  edges.  On  an 
averaii'e  the  skins  are  removed  in  two  minutes 
each  and  thrown  beside  the  carcass,  whence 
they  are  hauled  to  the  salting  iiouse.  The  skins, 
when  hauled  from  the  killing*  ground,  are  salted 
down  in  large  bins,  where  they  remain  about  a 
week,  when  they  arc  removed  and  piled  in  tiers 
in  the  warehouse,  like  cured  bacon  in  a  j)()rk- 
paeking  estal)lishment.  When  sulKciently  salted 
they  are  prepared  for  shi})!nent  h\  rolling  two 
skins  together,  the  Hesh-sides  facing,  after 
which  thev  are  tied,  formini»-  a  bundle  about 
four  inches  in  thickness  and  ten  in  length.  In 
San  Francisco  they  are  packed  in  casks  and  go 
to  London  in  that  condition. 

In  London  they  are  put  through  a  course  of 
treatment  which  destroNs  the  grease  and  re- 
moves  the  long  hairs,  which  stand  out  as  a 
/.  ^tection  to  the  fur.  This  is  done  bv  shavin<^»' 
the  flesh  down  and  pulling  the  hairs  out  by 
machinery.  After  the  skin  has  been  sufiiciently 
manipulated  in  these  processes,  it  is  dyed,  and 
this  is  said  to  be  the  most  im})()rtant  matter  of 
all  in  connection  with  its  treatment.     It  is  as- 


s 

ii 

'r   1 

m 

m 

ftl 

■  J  -1 

!ll 


il.H 


)U 


lOG 


A    TRIP  TO  ALASKA. 


[1*1  A 
!  I 


8;  ::4 


sorted  and  doniod  that  tho  skins  can  be  success- 
fully dved  in  the  Tnilcd  States,  Imt  at  all  events 
London  controls  the  business  at  i)resent. 

AVhere  the  fur  seals  lio,  and  u})()n  what  they 
subsist  Avhen  absent  from  the  place  where  they 
"most  do  breed  and  haunt,"  is  a  matter  of  much 
s])eculation.  Thev  arrive  at  the  rookeries  and 
liauling  o-rounds  fat  and  sleek  in  the  sunnner. 
They  remain  for  months  without  eating,  and 
then,  their  numbers  increased  ])y  perhaps  a 
million  of  "pups,"  they  disai)pear  in  the  autumn 
poor  and  "stagey,"  to  reappear  in  lirst-class 
condition  at  the  usual  time  next  year. 

From  the  circumstance  that  occasional  fur 
seals  are  killed  ofl' the  coast  of  British  Columbia 
and  Southeastern  Alaska,  and  that  a  few  are 
taken  among  the  Aleutian  Islands  as  they 
journey  southward,  it  is  supposed  by  some  ob- 
servers that  they  follow  the  coast  line,  keeping 
a  certain  distance  out  to  sea.  But  while  they 
leave  the  l^ybilov  Islands  in  a  swarm  of  mil- 
lions, they  are  never  seen  in  great  numbers 
away  from  here.  Close  observation  and  o(;ca- 
sional  marking  by  some  distiguration  lead  peo- 
ple on  the  isljuids  to  believe  that  the  seals 
return  not  only  to  the  same  islands,  l)ut  that 
some  of  the  old  bulls  occupy  the  identical  spot 
of  beach  over  which  they  rule  for  years. 


SEALSKIN  SACQUES. 


107 


Le{iviiii»^  tlie.so  isliiiids  the  .seuLs  ])r()l)jO)ly  snit- 
ter  out  tlirouiih  the  Pucilic  in  (litlcrciil  diroc- 
ti()n!<  in  senivli  of  tish,  Iho  findiiii:'  of  which  in 
sufficient  (juuiititics  for  the  inmicnsc  herd  lo- 
ijetlior  would  seem  to  I)e  jdmost  iiii])()ssihh'. 
Tiiey  nrc  su[)po.sed  to  fc^ed  on  lish  iuid  keij), — 
tii.Mt  proiitic  })i'odu('t  of  the  ocean  whicii  is  found 
Honting  in  neurly  all  latitudes,  heinii'  torn  from 
it.s  rocky  bed  l)y  storms  and  carried  around  the 
world  u[)()n  tides  and  currents.  Kelj)  furnishes 
the  food  for  the  seal,  and  it  coUects  in  tangled 
masses  to  form  a  couch  for  the  shy  sen  otter, 
which  sleeps  ui)on  it  in  a  ,irale,  and  it  has  been 
used  to  soothe  the  hunyrv  stomach  of  many  a 
hunter  who  for  davs  had  fjuled  to  rind  other  food. 

While  it  is  l>elieved  that  rish  and  kelp  form 
the  chief  article  of  seal  subsistence,  the  seal,  as 
stated,  can  live  for  montiis  on  his  inner  con- 
sciousness or  blubber  which  is  strongly  llavored 
with  seaweed.  The  stomai'h  of  a  seal  cut  open 
on  the  islands  proves  to  be  ({uite  empty.  It 
reveals  nothing  of  its  owner's  habits.  It  is  a 
mystery. 

The  manufacture  of  oil  from  seal  blubber 
n)ay  be  much  more  satisfactorily  studied  from 
a  written  description  than  in  the  factory,  for  it 
is  not  productive  of  the  nM)st  rerincd  odors. 
When  seal  oil  was  made  upon  the  islands  the 


J  -J 

»»1 


/'      f^j!j| 


I  -iil 


!l. 


v]*\m 


108 


A    77.7/'    ro   ALASKA. 


"hluhhcr-siijitcliors"'  followed  tbo  .skinners  jind 
stripped  the  caivjiss  a  second  time,  reniovin<r 
the  fat  from  all  around  the  body  in  one  sheet, 
which  was  rolled  up  and  carted  to  the  oil  fac- 
tory, where  it  was  dumped  into  a  wooden  vat. 
The  vats  were  supplied  with  steam  from  a 
boiler  under  ninety  pounds  pressure.  Five  or 
six  waiion-loads  of  blubber  were  thrown  into  a 
vut,  which  was  closiul  at  the  top,  the  steam 
turned  on,  and  the  boiling  i)rocess  continued  for 
twelve  to  Hfteen  hours,  at  the  end  of  Avhich 
time  the  oil  was  pressed  out  and  raised  by  cold 
■water  and  run  otf  the  top  into  casks  holding 
from  one  hundred  and  fifty  to  two  hundred  and 
eighty  gallons  each. 

Carcasses  of  the  seal  killed  for  their  fur  yield 
about  half  a  gallon  of  oil  each  when  they  are 
fat,  but  as  the  season  advances  they  yield  less, 
living  by  absor[)ti()n  of  their  own  grease.  In 
firing  under  the  boiler,  seal  carcasses,  blubber, 
bones,  and  flesh  were  used  for  fuel,  and  a 
warm  fire  they  make,  but  the  firemen  must  be 
relieved  frequently,  for  the  stench  of  the  boil- 
\\\iX  blubber  and  of  the  burnin2:  bodies  combined 
is  too  much  for  [uiy  set  of  human  nerves  to  en- 
dure lon<»:  at  any  one  time.  Since  the  fordroinj? 
was  written,  oil-making  on  our  seal  islands  has 
been  diseontiimed  as  unprofitable. 


CPIAPTER  XI. 


COMMUNISTIC. 


n^IIE  iiiitives  of  St.  PjiuVs  .'iiid  St.  Geovire's 
-^  isliuKls  live  in  a  .sort  of  coiniministif  state, 
and  are,  withal,  purse-j)rou(l  aristocrats.  They 
perform  a  few  days'  labor  for  the  company  out- 
side of  seal-taking,  for  which  they  are  p.*rd  at 
the  rate  of  ten  cents  i)er  hour.  All  earMin<»"s 
for  killinir  seals  are  distril)uted  i)ro  rata  in 
classes,  not  only  to  those  who  work  accordinij^ 
to  their  ability,  but  to  some  who  are  unable  to 
perform  any  labor.  They  are  not  frugal  in 
their  hal)its.  They  s[)end  the  greater  part  of 
their  money  on  luxuries.  Having  house  rent, 
fuel,  fish  and  seal  meat,  doctor  and  school- 
master free,  they  look  around  for  something  to 
buy.  For  the  one  hundred  and  twenty  women 
on  one  island  the  company  carries  up  a  hundred 
dozen  fine  silk  handkerchiefs  which  are  gen- 
erally worn  on  the  head,  a  hundred  dozen  fine 
worsted    colored    stockings,  almost    as    many 

lot) 


If!" 


i;t 


110 


A    mil'   TO  ALASKA. 


1  ,*'■ 


» ii! 


'i 


I     1 


•|l'!i 


k 


li 


.!;■     .il'i 


scarfs  and  i)ul)iii.s,  dozens  of  iiiw  shawls,  one 
thousand  two  hiuuh'cd  yards  of  calico  (sonic  of 
these  scal-killers'  wives  have  a  do/en  dresses 
at  a  time),  three  hundred  yards  of  oilier  dress 
goods  and  flannels,  with  three  suits  of  clothing, 
boots,  and  caps  for  every  man  and  boy  in  lh(^ 
village,  and  good  cassimerc  clothing  is  the  kind 
they  demand. 

For  food  su|)i)lies  on  one  island  they  have 
thirty-tive  thousand  pounds  of  biscuit  and 
crackers  and  two  hundred  and  thirty  barrels  of 
tlour;  seventy  chests  of  tea,  tifty-two  pounds 
each  ;  four  hundred  boxes  candles,  strarine  and 
parafiine ;  one  thousand  sacks  of  rice,  tifty 
pounds  each ;  one  thousand  gallons  kerosene, 
etc. 

A  few  years  ago  these  same  natives  lived 
in  barabaras  (sod  huts),  twenty-Hve  to  forty 
persons  in  one  room.  They  used  blubber  for 
lights  and  fuel  till  the  lami)black  hung  in  strings 
from  the  ceilini>f.  Now  they  have  frame  houses, 
cook-stoves,  coal,  kerosene,  and  parafHne  can- 
dles. They  have  good  church  buildings  on 
each  island,  and  schools  Avith  teachers  as  well  as 
doctors,  at  the  expense  of  the  comiiany. 

The  natives  of  the  seal  islands  are  not  long- 
lived.  Sixty  is  old  age,  to  which  few  ever 
reach,  and  even  those  of  tifty  are  scarce.     The 


VOMMUNISTW. 


Ill 


poi)iilati()ii  lias  not  incrosised  to  any  ai)prc('ial>U; 
extent  since  the  United  States  eanie  into  posses- 
sion. 

Like  all  other  Aleuts,  the  natives  of  the  seal 
islands  die  «j:enerally  of  eonsumption.  M'hen 
it  once  appears  it  makes  rapid  work,  and  in  a 
few  days  its  victim  is  laid  away.  Whatever  may 
be  the  restorative  (inalities  of  tish-oil  or  l)liil)))er, 
it  does  not  seem  to  henetit  these  i)eople.  They 
all  cat  enormously  of  these  commodities,  and,  as 
a  rule,  die  early.  When  jittacked,  physicians 
are  in  vain,  and  the  patient  falls  at  once  into 
a  condition  of  hopeless  inditlerence,  irenerally 
refusing  medicine,  or  neglecting  to  take  it  dur- 
ing the  doctor  s  absence. 

These  people  give  liberally  toward  the  support 
of  their  church,  and  buy  many  blessed  candles 
at  high  prices.  'I'he  church  decorations  of  silver 
chandeliers,  candelabras,  and  pictures  are  bo^*" 
elaborate  and  expensive.  Large  gilt  candles 
have  been  sent  from  the  San  Francisco  Consis- 
tory at  the  rate  of  three  for  fifty  dollars,  and, 
though  this  was  considered  high,  they  were  paid 
for.  They  were  large  candles,  it  is  true,  but, 
judging  from  the  material  of  which  they  are 
composed,  they  should  not  cost  more  than  four 
or  five  dollars  each,  even  includino-  the  rather 
tawdry  gilding  upon    their  surfaces.     But  the 


H 


11 


f'|=?n 


112 


A    TRIP   TO   .!/..!> AM. 


iiiii!? 


seal-isliinders  bcliuvo  in  ])les.se(l  cniidlcs  Jiiid 
can  atlbrd  to  pay  for  tlieni. 

Tlie  "second"  priest,  or  "striker,"  a.s  he  is 
sometimes  denominated  by  irreverent  Yankees, 
the  "second  mate,"  as  the  saiU)rs  cjill  him,  is 
an  institution  of  the  Kussi  m  ('hurch  in  Alaska. 
The  second  i)ricst  can  hold  services,  l)ut  is  not 
endowed  witli  the  ri<^ht  to  perform  tlie  marria^re 
ceremonv.  He  leads  the  choir  and  attends  on 
the  first  priest  at  mass.  Sometimes  the  mar- 
riage ceremony  is  waived  by  })arties  entering 
into  the  marital  state  in  the  absence  of  a  tirst 
priest,  but  when  that  individual  com(!s  around, 
he  makes  it  all  light,  and  it  is  considered  that 
no  harm  has  been  done. 

The  vestments  worn  by  the  priest  are  very 
rich,  but  sometimes  when  he  appears  in  gar- 
ments of  gold  and  white,  with  cavalry  boots 
below,  as  often  happens,  the  effect  strikes 
stranirers  as  beinir  strong  and  novel  rather  than 
strictly  ecclesiastic.  It  speaks  somewhat  loudly 
of  church  militant. 

There  is  no  beer  nor  whiskey  to  be  had  by 
the  natives  of  the  fur-seal  islands.  The  Treas- 
ury Department  forbids  the  manufacture  here  or 
the  introduction  of  beverages  of  an  intoxicating 
character.  Eflbrts  have  been  made  in  other 
Aleutian  settlements  to  prevent   the  manufac- 


COMMUNISTIC. 


113 


py 


Illl'O    () 


f  "(jUi 


ISS, 


u 


sod  (>r  sour  lircr  numurao- 


lurcd  out  of  sujrar,  Hour,  uiid  water:   l>u'.  ulicro 


tht'iv   arc   two  or  nioiv 
tl 


t  radii 


ML?-     (•onn)!HH('S     111 


coinpctiliou,  the  su<»ar  can  nc  ontamcd  troin 
one,  if  not  from  the  other,  and  the  suppression 
of  the  tradic  in  such  a  coniinunitv  is  ahnosl 
iin})ossiI)l(».  On  the  fur-seal  islands,  iiowever. 
Treasury  and  eoinpany  agents  unite  in  ell'orls  to 
suppress  the  manufacture  of  stronir  drink.  U 
was,  for  a  lonj;  tim<*,  diilicull  lo  reconcile  these 
Aleuts  to  li'etting  alonu  without  sj)irits.  Tiider 
Ivussian  rule  it  was  the  custom  to   issue  spirits 


t     tl 


k;  nil 


n  wl 


len  at  work,  an< 


d  tl 


US  erea 


led 


an 


.'.ppetite,  which  was  souirht  to  he  allayed  hy 
other  drink  when  merchantable  whiskey  could 
not  l)c  had. 

(ireat  trouble  is  now  experienced  hy  the 
e()mi)anv's  traders  elsewhens  owini";  to  the 
natives  irettinir  intoxicated  and  raisinij^  dislurh- 
ances,  and  it  is  a  soui'ce  of  satisfaction  to  the 
airents  on  the  fur-seal  islands  that  thev  havi^ 
been  able  to  put  an  end  to  the  manufactuni  of 


(juass. 


Kven  the  old  nativ(?s,  who  were  th( 


most  ditHcult  1')  wean,  have  become  reconciled 
to  total  abstinence,  and  the  fact  that  thev  have 
money  in  bank,  and  better  houses,  (dothlniTf,  and 
tbod  than  were  had  when  whiskey  and  "(juass" 
prevailed,  teaches   tlieni   that   lire- water  is  the 


1 

1   i 


%    I 


■'iA 


114 


.1    TRIP   TO    ALASKA. 


a  yt.; 


I:! 


■i'l:? 


li 


most  expensive  luxury  poor  pe()})le  can  indulge 
in. 

Ten  is  now  the  strongest  beveniiie  that  these 
l)e()j)k'  ahsorl).  The  ten  used  here  is  of  a 
superior  (jualily,  the  same  elioj)  as  that  fur- 
nished ])V  the  Ivussians  years  and  years  ai^o. 
The  })eoi)le  don't  want  any  otiier  kind,  and  the 
company  is  perfectly  willing  to  [)rovide  that 
which  they  prefer. 

The  seal  islands  are  situated  in  Behring  Sea, 
and  during  the  warmer  months  are  almost  con- 
tinually enveloped  in  fogs  and  mist.  That  is 
one  reason  why  the  seals  make  them  their 
breediui*:  irrounds.  There  is  no  such  thinii'  in 
the  seal  business  as  "niakinir  hav  while  the  sun 
shines,"  for  the  sun  will  drive  the  warm-coated 
animals  into  the  water,  when  men  with  clubs 
could  not  do  it  :  for  thouiih  the  two  and  four- 
year-olds  may  l)e  herded  and  driven  like  sheej), 
the  older  bulls,  when  on  the  rookeries,  cannot 
be  forced  Jiway  l<y  threats  of  violence.  Con- 
timied  sunshine,  however,  would  soon  banish 
them  from  the  islands. 

St.  George's  Island,  which,  on  a  clear  day, 
can  be  seen  from  St.  Paul's,  is  an  epitome 
of  the  larger  one.  The  population,  at  the  last 
count,  was  one  hundred  and  two  i)ers()ns.  They 
have  a  church,  school-house,  and  frame  dwell- 


*".►' 


I  i'MMIWlSTIC 


llo 


ings  for  the  people,  provided  hy  the  coinp.'niy, 
Avhich  eontroLs  in  all  these  nialters  and  fur- 
nishes the  modern  iniprovenients  aeeordinir  to 
the  ideas  of  its  offieers,  whose  suiriiest  Ions  in 
these  matters  are  adoi)ted. 

Near  (Jarden  Cove,  on  the  southeast  eoast  of 
St.  (ieorfre'.-i  Island,  is  a  lar^e  sea-lion  rookerv, 
the  beaeh  beiuii'  red  with  the  monsters,  which 
lav  i)aeked  toirether  like  hous  in  a  stock  car 
goinir  to  market.  The  sea  lion  is  found  also  on 
St.  Paul's,  hut  not  so  numerously  as  on  St. 
(ieori>e's.  The  sea  lion  seems  to  he  more  like 
an  overirrown  seal,  lai'irer  than  the  fur-seal  bulls, 
but  their  coat  consists  of  hair  only,  which  is  of 
a  coarse  reddish  brown.  The  llesh  of  the  sea 
lion  is  preferred  to  that  of  the  fur  seal,  and  the 
hide,  while  having  no  value  in  the  markets  of 
the  world,  is  in  great  demand  among  the  Aleuts 
and  Indians  of  tlu>  Northern  Pacific  and  IVhi'inj:: 
Sea.  The  leather  is,  however,  used  to  a  limited 
extent  on  emery  wheels  for  })olishing  in  cutlery 
factories. 

The  tlippers  of  the  sea  lion  are  used  for  soles 
of  the  Aleut  waterproof  boots;  the  .skm  is 
converted  into  coverings  for  the  large  open 
boats  known  as  "  bidarras."  These  boats  con- 
sist of  a  frame  of  wood  witii  ribs  imported 
from  the   Eastern  States.     The   lion  skins,  the 


■  « 


IK) 


A   TRIP   TO  ALASKA. 


hair  sluived  off,  avo  stretched  over  the  fninie, 
tif'teeii  or  twenty  beiiiii:  .sewed  toi>ether,  and 
when  drv  thev  are  as  tiuht  as  a  (b'uni.  These 
boats  are  const riieted  about  fortv  ieet  in  lenirth 


and  ten  or  twelve  feet  beai 


ni,  with  a  earrvinof 


capacity  of  from  two  to  four  tons. 

The  l)idarra  is  the  favorite  craft  with  tlie 
seal  islanders  as  the  two-hole  l)idarkie  is  with 
the  AVestern  .vleuts,  the  three-holed  with  the 
Kadiackers,  and  the  tifty-foot  cedar  (hiiiouts 
with  the  llyda  Indians.  'I'he  natives  of  diti'erent 
localities  stick  to  then"  okl  ideas  with  the  most 
obdurate  preju<bce,  those  who  use  the  two- 
holed  bi(kirki(;  and  doul)le-bhided  i)addle  beinir 
near  »ieiiilibors  to  those  who  insist  on  a  three- 
holed  boat  anci  sinirl(>-bla(kMl  pa(kde.  The 
bi(kirra  is  also  the  favorite  with  ihe  Indians  of 
l^ehrinii'  Straits,  beinii"  naviiiated  bv  them  from 
the  American  to  the  Asiatic  shore. 

Sea  Otter  Island,  Ivini::  about  five  miles  south- 
wardly  from  St.  Paul's,  is  another  landing-})lace 
for  the  fur  seal,  but  only  to  a  limited  extent. 
Owinii'  to  the  fact  that  it  is  not  permanentlv 
inhabite(l,  some  marauders  were  in  the  habit  of 
landinii"  or  the  opposite  side,  where  they  could 
not  be  seen  from  St.  Paul's,  and  killinii:  what- 
ever  seal  they  could  find,  without  regard  to  sex, 
a2'o,    or    condition.       The     company    reported 


r  I 


COMMUNISTIC. 


117 


lliusu  facts  to  the  Secretary  of  the  Treasury, 
who  decided  that  the  intention  of  the  act  under 
which  the  lease  Avas  authorized  appeared  to  be 
to  give  all  the  islands  of  the  group  to  the 
lessees,  for  the  regulation  of  the  traffic  and 
preservation  of  the  fur  seal.  Then,  as  the 
company  could  not  defend  8ea  Otter  Island, 
the  Government  was  asked  to  do  so,  and  no^v 
the  practice  is  to  leave  a  revenue  marine  guard 
there  during  the  sealini::  season. 

Sea  Otter  Island  is  famous  for  sea  fowls' 
eirsrs*  and  also  for  foxes,  which  latter  so  infest 
the  place  that  a  former  revenue  marine  officer 
experienced  great  difficulty  in  keeping  the  })ests 
from  destrovin<>:  evervthinir  destrovahle  in  his 
cabin.  Birds'  ei»ii:s  buried  beneath  the  floor 
were  ravished  by  these  cunning  animals,  which, 
durino-  the  officer's  absence,  duir:  under  the  walls 
and  made  their  way  into  the  house.  Thev  are 
principally  blue  foxes,  such  as  are  found  on  St. 
Paul's  and  St.  George's. 

There  is  one  more,  Walrus  Island,  in  the 
Prybilov  group,  about  six  miles  eastward  from 
St.  Paul,  to  which  male  walruses  resort  in  con- 
siderable numbers  each  vear.  It  is  also  famous 
for  sea  fowl,  which  resort  thither  in  countless 
millions  for  breeding  purposes,  P)ut  no  fur 
seals  are  killed  by  the  lessees  upon  either  Otter 
or  Walrus  islands. 


1st 


1*1 


'H 


1  ill 


l!lli<:';M| 


:M 


rii 


118 


A    Tin  I'    TO  ALASKA. 


As  only  natives  may  be  employed  to  kill  the 
seals,  no  wliites  are  permitted  to  remain  ui)on 
the  Prvbilov  Islands  unless  either  in  the  service 
ot*  the  United  States  or  of  the  Alaska  Commer- 
cial Company  —  except  the  Kussian  priests. 


iPii' 


CHAPTER  XII. 


THE    FUK   WEST. 


/"^  OING  from  the  fur  scmI  islands  to  At  ton 
^-^  wc  lost  u  da}'.  Xot  that  we  had  merely 
wasted  twenty-four  hours,  but  we  were  a  day 
behind  the  Attou  people  in  our  account  of 
time. 

We  followed  Oreeley's  advice  to  an  extreme 
desrree.  We  went  west  until  we  arrived  in  east 
longitude.  Having  crossed  the  one  hundred 
and  eightieth  meridian  west  from  Greenwich  we 
were  a  day  slower  by  our  reckoning  th.m  the 
real  time.  Accordinii:  to  the  loc^-book  of  the 
"Rush"  and  the  private  journals  of  those  on 
board,  this  page  was  written  on  Saturday,  June 
21.  According  to  the  people  of  Attou  it  was 
Sunday,  June  22. 

The  bells  of  the  little  church  on  shore  were 
rin<iin2:  out  at  eiirht  o'clock  in  the  niorninir  for 
earlv  mass,  the  American  tiao-  was  Hvina,  and 
the  people  were  wearing  their  very  best  calicoes 
and  newest  bird-skin  "parkas." 

110 


*  '®tf  i 


120 


.1    TRIP   TO  ALASKA. 


Attou  is  llio  most  westerly  ol'  our  Aleutiun 
isl.Miids,  till'  extreme  western  settlemeiit  of  the 
United  States,  and  only  two  hundred  nnles  from 
('()l)[)er  Island,  the  nearest  Jvussian  possession, 
whieh  from  its  situation  would  appear  to  he 
a  eontimiation  of  the  voleanie  reef  stretehinir 
aeross  the  Paeitie  from  the  peninsula  of  Alaska 
to  Kamtsehatka,  whieh  latter  is  but  a  tritle  over 
four  hundi'ed  miles  from  this  island.  This  dis- 
tanee  is  so  short  and  the  route  so  natural  that 
communieation  between  Asia  and  Ameriea  this 
way  thousands  of  years  ago  ma}'  be  assumed  to 
lijive  oeeuri'ed  often  enough  to  stamp  a  reeord 
on  the  features  of  our  aborigines,  so-(,'alled. 

The  Aleuts  have  a  form,  faee,  and  stature 
similar  to  some  of  the  Asiatie  raees,  and  if  the 
Indians  on  the  main  land  are  taller,  leaner,  and 
more  muscular,  that  faet  maybe  due  to  different 
conditions  of  life  through  many  generations. 

Take  two  couples  of  one  tribe  and  j^lacc 
them  in  ditferent  climates  wliere  thev  subsist 
on  ditferent  food  and  practice  ditferent  exer- 
cises and  games,  pursuing  ditferent  occu})ations, 
two  hunting  in  boats,  the  others  indulging  in 
the  chase  on  horseback  or  on  foot,  and  in  a  few 
generations  the  successors  of  the  two  couples 
would  present  what  might  at  tirst  appear  to 
be  distinct  races  of  people,  speaking  different 


77/ A'   Fl'R    WhsT. 


121 


toniruos,  thoiiiih  ti'Jicos  oi*  :i  coinmon  oriuiii 
iiiil»'lit  he  t'oiind.  Such  a  coiKhlioii  of  all'airs 
would  account  tor  th(3  (Utlcrcncc  hctwecii  our 
Aleuts  and  iidand  ti'il)es  of  Indians. 

Terenty  Prokoi)ieir,  th(5  "Tyono"  or  Chief  of 
Attou,  is  an  Ahnit,  fiftv-live  vcnu's  of  a<i(\  lie 
is  51  deacon  or  suh-])riest  of  the  Russian  Ciuirch, 
reads  and  writes  in  Iviissian,  and  is  ai^ent  of  the 
Alaska  Commercial  Company,  who  have  a  store 
here.  There  are  stories  current  of  many  wrecks 
from  the  Kast  comin<»'  on  shore  here,  hut  the 
Tvone  knows  of  only  two  occui-rinii"  in  his  time. 
In  1853  a  eTapanese  jmik  came  ashore  keel 
uppermost,  and  at  the  same  tinu^  Ihree  dead 
hodies  were  found  on  the  beach,  none  being- 
left  to  tell  the  tale  of  their  vovaiie  further  than 
miii'ht  be  inferred  from  inverted  bark  and  stark 
corpses.  But  in  1S()1  another  junk  from  Japan 
was  discovered  bv  some  otter-hunters  who  were 
out  at  sea  in  l)i(larkies  from  Attou. 

The  hunters  were  shv  of  the  straniicrs,  who 
also  had  fears  for  their  lives,  visions  of  pirates 
and  cannibals  scuddinii'  athwart  the  excited 
imaginations  of  both  parties.  The  Aleuts 
paddled  l.urriedly  toward  shore,  and,  encour- 
aged by  this  turn  in  a  Hairs  and  urged  by 
necessity,  the  voyagers  from  another  land 
followed.      They  got   on   shore,  when   it  was 


122 


,1    Tin  I'    TO   ALA.sh.l. 


discovered  to  the  inli;il)itants  of  tlie  island 
that  their  visitors  consisted  of  only  three 
Japanese,  who  had  heen  driftinii"  for  days 
without  provisions  and  without  Avater,  four 
of  tho'ir  shi})inates,  inciuvlini>*  their  captain  and 
mate,    liavini»-    died   at    sea. 

The  storni-lossed  Asiatics  were  taken  in  l)y 
the  hos})itable  Aleuts,  kept  here  for  eight 
months  till  the  arrival  of  the  steamer  Alex- 
ander, which  conveved  them  to  Eastern  Si- 
l)cria,  where  they  disemharked  to  make  their 
way  home  overland.  There  are  no  records 
here  in  Attou  of  the  first  cominii;  of  ships 
from  the  westward,  nor  have  the  present 
people  any  idea  of  their  origin  beyond  a 
tradition   of  a    hazy  character. 

The  old  people  here  talk  of  Avars  long 
since,  time  without  date,  between  the  inhab- 
itants of  Attou  and  those  of  islands  to  the 
eastward.  A  common  storv  is  that  on  one 
occasion  the  people  of  Atka,  tive  hundred 
miles  to  the  eastward,  came  to  Attou  and 
})roceeded  to  exterminate  the  natives.  AVhen 
the}^  departed  they  congratulated  themselves 
on  their  com[)lete  success  and  went  home 
rejoicing.  Three  or  four  years  afterward, 
however,  some  hunters  discovered  that  one 
woman    had    escaped,    and    lived    to    wander 


!ii! 


THE  FUR    WEST. 


123 


nboiit    all    this   time    in    solidido   .'is  jj^roat   as 
that    ('xpv'riciiccd    1)V    Ivoljinson   Cnisoo. 

IMtvitiii'  her  lone  condition  or  i'(>i)ontinii"  tlicir 
aI)ortiv('  attempt  at  coniplotc  extermination, 
tliev  left  one  of  th(>ir  own  lunnixT  here,  and 
the  result  was  the  repopulation  of  tiie  island. 
This  sounds  somewhat  like  an  Oriental  tale 
of  the  orii'in  of  :i  people,  and  whether  true 
or  false  it  is  hardlv  worth  contradietinij;.  Similar 
stories  are  told  of  other  porticms  of  Alaska. 

It  is  said  that  three  hundred  and  fifty 
years  aijo  fierce  wars  prevailed  between  the 
men  of  Kadiak  and  those  of  Onalaska.  Ex- 
cursions Mere  fre(pient  from  one  island  to  the 
other,  seven  hundred  miles  distant,  and  it  gen- 
erally occurred  that  the  attacking  p''irt\^  got 
the  best  of  these  fights,  a  result  of  which 
was  that  the  victors  carried  the  women  of 
the  vanquished  away  to  their  own  dominions. 
This  necessitated  retaliation  and  the  carrvinii' 
of  the  o})])()site  party's  women  home  by  way 
of  reprisals.  It  was  like  the  matches  and 
return  games  of  base-ball  clubs,  cricketers, 
and  sharp-shooters  of  the  i)resent  day  in  the 
United  States,  except  there  was  more  real 
sport,  less  eating  and  drinking,  and  more  valu- 
able prizes,  it  is  to  be  hoped. 

The  population  of  Attou  consists  of  one  hun- 


i. ., 


lii 


m 


I'll 


l::i 


' 


r  . 


124 


A  rnir  to  a  l  ask  a. 


(Ircd  Mild  tliii'tv-two  jxTsoiis,  llic  poorosl  of  tho 
l)()(>r  jiinoiiiif  tli(^  Alciiti.'iiis.  Tlio  Tyonc,  liow- 
ovor,  cMii  J'l'iiu'iiilxM'  when  tlio  island  coiitjiinod 
M  <j:r('iit  iiiMiiy  inon^  pooi)!^,  who  have  died  or 
iroiH^  to  limit  M  livinir  whcro  it  inuy  he  more 
cert.'iinly  ohtaiiied.  Tliesi;  one  hundred  and 
thirtv-lwo  persons,  of  whom  onlv  thirtv-four 
men  and  hoys  are  ahle  to  hunt,  owe  the  Alaska 
(  ommereial  Company  liv(^  thousand  dollars  for 
ijoods  to  keep  tluMii  alive.  The  re  was  a  time 
when  Alton  was  eonsidered  the  eeiitre  of  the 
hest  sea-()tt(U'-huntinii*  re<2:ion  in  I>ehrini»"  Sea, 
hut  wanton  cruisers  eamc  in  as  soon  as  the  Rus- 
sians were  houi>lit  out.  and  Avitli  i:uns  eon- 
stantly  in  the  hands  of  their  hunters  in  small 
hoats,  hunt  ins;  .'it  all  seasons,  disehaririiiir  tire- 
arms,  leavin<>-  otlal  upon  the  roeks  and  islands, 
the  otter  l)ri»an  to  (lisapi)ear  rai)idly.  The  rev- 
enue steamers  eominii'  hito  these  Avaters  later 
have  driven  the  maraudinir  schooners  awav,  hut 
serious  damaire  was  done  before  their  cominii'. 
T)urin<>'  Ivussian  rule,  the  Tyone  says,  the 
people  here  captured  from  three  hundred  to 
seven  hundred  sea  otter  a  year,  hut  of  late 
years  from  twenty  to  thirty  skins  are  all  that 
they  ii'et.  The  company  has  been  tryinir  to  cet 
the  people  of  this  island  to  move  to  the  main- 
land,  where  they  could    he   supported  at   less 


THE  irii    WEST. 


125 


m 


cost.  Hill,  liUo  olIuT  poor  ]HH)pl(',  thoso  of 
Attoii  iTniii'  to  (lioir  iinpoviM'ishcl  lioiiics,  which 
consist  merely  of  ;i  tew  earthen  huts,  with  not  a 
hmKh'cd  dollars  wortli  of  furniture  in  the  entire 
settlement.  l>ut  the  hones  of  their  dead  rela- 
tives are  l)uried  here  in  the  sand  beside  tlie  half 
underground  Imhitations  of  the  liviuijf,  and  there- 
fore the  people  refuse  to  ufo. 

Tile  store  inav  l)c  taken  awav,  hut  the  a<j:cnt, 
who  is  lyonc  and  deacon,  Avill  remain  with 
his  people,  and  with  them  trust  to  the  sea  to 
furnish  them  food,  clothiuir,  and  fuel.  Some 
of  these  Attou  people  <^o  now  for  a  year  with- 
out tea  or  flour,  ludess  in  case  of  sickness,  when 
the  aircnt  issues  some  indispensihle  article  out 
of  the  company's  stock,  and  enters  the  proper 
amount  of  debit  upon  the  comi)aiiy's  books, 
without  much  hope  of  ever  seeinu*  the  account 
cancelled,  unless  the  otter  comes  l)ack.  This 
seems  to  bo  a  remote  contini::ency,  but  possibly 
it  may  occur. 

Of  vecfetables,  camied  <!:()ods,  and  the  manv 
little  comforts  of  civilization  these  })eople  know 
nothin<2:  except  ])y  tradition.  Xow,  in  the  sum- 
mer solstice,  the  peaks,  two  thousand  teet  in 
heiirht,  surround inir  the  settlement,  are  covered 
Avith  snow,  drifts  of  which,  fallen  last  winter, 
still  lie  in  the  irulehes  at  the  rear  of  the  huts. 


•V 


i 


m 


•I 


\'2(\ 


A    TlUr   TO   AL.USKA. 


W4 


Nc.'irly  Jill  the  clilldren  run  ii]nn\i  hjirctoolcd 
nnd  hiircslo^'-'ifcd,  witii  ;i  little  shirt  or  hird-skln 
ufown  as  their  only  coverinii'.  At  lejist,  most  of 
them  were  in  that  condition  until  the  arrivjd  of 
the  "Rush,"  the  oflieers  of  which,  seeinir  theii- 
destitution  last  year,  came  providecl  (mi  this 
cruise  with  i)a<»s  of  clothinu',  not  only  for  the 
children,  hut  for  women,  some  of  whom  Averc 
but  scantily  arrayed  for  either  summer  or  win- 
ter. They  have  been  tilled  up,  too,  with  bread 
and  —  what  they  prize  most  of  all  —  irood  tea, 
with  sui^ar  to  sweeten  it.  This  makes  them 
ha})py  for  the  time,  and  they  look  forward  to  u 
year's  diet  on  dried  tish,  as  the  stajHe  article  of 
food,  with  the  consolinii^  contidence  that  another 
day  will  come  next  sunnner,  when  the  little 
steamer  may  drop  anchor  in  the  harbor,  to 
afford  them  another  season  of  tea  and  bread, 
Avith  seoond-h;md  dresses  for  the  Avomen  and 
children. 

Even  Attou,  poor  and  destitute  as  the  people 
are,  has  a  church,  and,  Mllhoui»h  no  i)riest  has 
been  here  for  several  ycrn.s,  services  are  held  on 
every  Sunday,  connnoulng  on  Saturday  even- 
ing at  sunset.  The  rite  of  baptism  is  adminis- 
tered by  the  chief,  but  he  cannot  perform  the 
marriaixe  ceremony  nor  administer  connnunion. 
When  the  next  priest  comes  he  will  have  plenty 


THE  FUR    WEST. 


127 


to  do  tiuht(Miiiiir  Ihc  niiitrinioniiil  knots  tlmt 
have  lu'oii  loosely  torinod  in  the  intcriiii. 

The  liiiiiluM*  ill  llio  little  clmivli,  the  walls  of 
wliicli  !iro  not  hiuhcr  than  a  man's  head,  has 
been  sawed  out  of  driftwood,  most  of  it  })rol)- 
a))ly  coniinii-  IVoni  tlu^  Vneon  Uiver.  A  fnuno 
of  four  n[)riiihts,  with  as  many  cross-pieces  and 
n  whip-saw,  constitute  the  lumher  factory  at  At- 
tou  ;  and  the  sea  furnislies  the  loijs,  for  not  a 
stick  of  timl)er  as  larire  as  a  ])ean-i)()le  grows 
upon  an>' of  the  Aleutian  Islands.  The  roof  of 
the  church  is  thatched  with  dried  grass,  which 
here  grows  tall  and  coarse,  one  variety  like 
wild  rye. 

Just  outside  of  the  front  door  of  the  church 
is  a  little  i)avili()n  or  belfry,  U})on  the  top  of 
which  a  man  standing  upon  the  ground  could 
put  his  hand.  Under  the  four-nidcd  roof  of 
this  modest  structure  han"- two  ])ells  <jreen  with 
age  and  dampness.  All  the  churches  in  these 
settlements  have  a  number  of  bells,  that  at  St. 
Paul's  boasting  a  full  octave,  but  in  other  and 
humbler  connnunities  there  are  from  two  to  tive 
])ells,  handed  down  from  the  davs  of  Kussian 
rule.  In  Sitka  and  Onalaska  tliev  hani»:  hi<2:h 
in  towers  above  the  church,  aspiring  to  the 
heavens,  but  in  poor  places,  such  as  Attou,  they 
are  found  close  to  the  earth,  though  possibly 


II 


h 


j 


I 


128 


A    TRIP   TO   ALASKA. 


drawing  worshippers  quite  as  near  to  God. 
After  church  on  Sunday  evening  it  is  no  harm 
to  have  a  dance  ;  but  on  Saturday  evening  such 
a  step  is  a  sin  in  Alaska. 

If  the  original  Aleuts  were  not  worshippers 
of  the  sea,  it  nuist  have  heen  because  wlien  they 
were  cast  awav  here  from  the  Asiatic  coast 
their  idol-worshipping  proclivities  could  not  be 
washed  out  of  them  bv  the  illimitable  waters. 

V 

But  had  Christians  never  discovered  this  peo- 
ple, and  had  some  aboriginal  religious  reformer 
risen  ariong  them,  he  must  certainly  have 
located  the  x\li-i»:o()d  in  the  sea.  It  M'as  to  the 
sea  that  they  originally  looked  for  food,  rai- 
ment, fuel,  and  means  of  locomotion.  They 
remain  in  that  condition  to  the  present  day.  A 
few  ])erries  grow  upon  the  Aleutian  Islands, 
but  there  is  not  an  island  from  Sitka  to  Attou 
that  is  fit  for  agricultural  purposes.  How  could 
there  be,  with  snow  on  all  the  hills,  down  to 
the  water's  edii-e  in  midsummer? 

The  sun  is  worshipped  by  many  people  as 
the  origin  of  the  principle  of  life,  but  how 
could  reverential  thoughts  be  directed  to  that 
orb  in  a  land  whore  he  is  not  visible  once  a 
month?  AVhat  good  .'ould  come  from  so  cold 
and  careless  a  (lod  ?  But  the  sea  brings  fish,  on 
which  the  Aleuts  live  year  in  and  year  out.     It 


THE  FUR   WEST. 


129 


furnishes  scii-otter,  the  fur  of  which  is  of  the 
finest,  unci,  before  beinu'  taken  in  hand  hy  tlie 
Christians  of  the  Czar,  these  barbarians  could 
afford  to  wear  sea-otter  cloaks.  The  sea  is  the 
home  of  the  waterfowl  which  tiii'nishes  eairs  and 
poultry.  When  fish,  eiigs,  and  fowl  fail,  sea- 
urchins  an;  made  to  supply  their  })laees,  and  in 
seasons  of  n'reatcst  distress  kelp  becomes  an 
article  of  food.  The  sea  brini»s  wood  for  fuel 
and  tim1)er  for  the  interiors  of  their  earthen 
huts,  and  u})on  the  bosom  of  the  waters  these 
})eople  i)addle  in  l)uoyant  i.  irks  of  sea-lion  skin 
for  business  or  })leasure.  fhey  owe  nothini^  to 
the  land  but  their  mud  hovels,  and  the  island 
was  upheaved  from  the  generous  sea  to  alford 
them  their  resting-i)lace.  The  sea  is  virtually 
their  home  and  their  existence.  "Without  it 
they  must  die. 

No  Hour,  no  vesretables  of  any  sort  are  seen 
in  most  of  these  Aleutian  huts  from  beginning 
to  end  of  the  year.  Fish  is  their  staple,  and, 
for  \o\vj^  times  together,  their  onlv  article  of 
food,  lubricated  occasicnallv  by  oil  ;  and  fish  are 
plentiful  around  all  of  tlu^se  islands.  Here 
they  have  salmon,  trout,  fiounders,  codfish,  and 
a  sort  of  keli)fish,  very  fat  l)ut  delicate  and 
nutritous.  This  is  the  best  of  all,  though 
salmon    forms   the    great t^st   source   of  supply. 


n 


rill 


130 


A    TRIP   TO  ALASKA. 


T\m  kclp-ii.sh  is  iibout  the  size  of  mackerel,  but 
the  stripes  upon  its  Ixxiy  are  sluided  froFu  a  dull 
brown  to  u  brii>lit  yellow.  At  iirst  glance  the 
stripes  remind  one  of  the  dee[)  brown  kelp, 
touched  out  with  3'ell()w^  ochre.  These  tish  can- 
not be  caught  with  hook  and  line,  1)ut  are 
speared  down  among  the  rv)cks,  and  con- 
se(|uently  they  can  only  be  taken  in  smooth 
water.     Thev,  like  salmon,  are  dried  for  winter 


use. 


The  salmon  here  are  not  laro-e,  nor,  at  Viiis 
season,  fat.  They  arc  dry  and  almost  without 
flavor.  The  men  of  the  steamer  hauled  a  seine 
at  the  mouth  oi"  a  creek  near  the  village  and 
caught  a  sufficient  suj)p]y  of  salmon  for  use  on 
the  voyaiic,  and  though  the  tish,  when  cleaned 
and  laid  out,  had  briiiht  oranire  color  within, 
which,  tipped  at  the  tail  and  edged  at  the  sides 
with  silver,  presented  a  pretty  picture  they 
were  generally  pronounced  poor  eating,  this 
is  a  delicacy,  of  course.  For  ii  steady  diet, 
with  not  nuich  else  to  accompany  it,  no  dt  ibt 
salmon  is  a  most  valuable  article  of  food,  for 
its  very  dryness  insures  the  possil)ility  of  its 
being  oaten  for  a  long  time  without  repugnance. 

The  women  of  Attou  are  of  a  retiring  dis- 
l)osition,  and  though  they  may  be  poor  and 
hungry,  do  not  beg — except  for  tobacco.    After 


THE  FCR    WEST. 


131 


all  they  have  endured  throuij^h  lack  of*  food  and 
clothing,  filling  them  up  with  tea  and  l)read  and 
putting  clean  dresses  upon  them,  still  leaves  a 
want  which  onl}'  tobacco  can  supply.  It  may 
be  discoura2:in<r,  but  it  is  true.  Savaii^cs  and 
barbarians  seem  to  have  a  natural  craving  for 
the  weed,  although  its  use  is  supposed  in  civil- 
ized countries  to  be  the  result  of  a  cultivated 
or  perv^erted  taste  —  according  to  the  views  of 
those  who  ^ise  or  eschew  it. 


.'VI 


i'4 


-;il 


>  'I 


CHAPTER  XIII. 


"'-  i;ii' 


ISLANDS,    HOCKS,    AND    Ml'MMIES. 

~rZ"YSIi]  is  one  of  tlio  most  interesting 
-'--^  })]ac'cs  AC  visited.  The  island,  one  of 
the  Aleiitiiin  chain,  runs  to  sharp  points,  which 
look  us  thouii'h  they  woukl  wash  away,  but  it 
is  a  solid  rock  at  bottom  nearly  all  the  way 
around,  and  it  stands  the  assaults  of  the  sea 
very  well.  The  settlement  was  supposed  not 
to  be  of  a  permanent  character.  About  twenty- 
five  hunters  Avere  brouuht  here  in  May  from 
Atka,  an  island  three  hundred  miles  to  the  east- 
ward, for  sea-otter  huntinii',  and  tiiey  were  to 
return  in  the  fall.  They  brouirht  their  families 
with  them,  and  fixed  up  barabaras  in  a  sand 
ridi»e  so  steep  and  narrow  that  the  dwellings  on 
one  side,  facing  the  sea,  might  be  opened  into 
those  behind  them,  facing  inland,  in  a  few  hours 
by  a  couple  of  sa})pcrs  and  miners.  All  of  the 
habitations  of  these  people  were  huddled  to- 
Cether  irremdarlv,  Avherever  the  formation  of 
the  ridsfc  was  such  as  to  offer  a  chance  for  the 
132 


ISLANDS,  ROCKS,  AND  MUMMIES. 


133 


greatest  anumnt  of  iinderGfroiincl  spaec  with  the 
least  amount  of  digging.  The  people  here 
numbered  one  hundred  and  one  persons. 

Looking  around,  as  you  stand  upon  the  sum- 
mit of  thifs  ridge,  you  see  nothing  that  looks 
like  human  hal)itations,  hut,  descending  to  either 
side,  a  small  door,  three  feet  in  height  and  a 
foot  and  a  half  in  width,  may  be  seen.  Tiie 
ij-round  is  so  du<>:  out  as  to  form  a  descendimx 
grade  toward  the  do'^^".  Al)ove  the  surface  is  a 
small  mound  of  sand,  \>hich  looks  as  if  it  might 
have  been  l)lo\vn  up  by  the  wind,  having  no 
reirular  form.  Gniss  in  scattered  bunches  waves 
upon  the  mound,  as  it  does  on  other  portions 
of  the  ridge. 

To  enter  at  the  little  doorwa}^  a  man  must 
cither  turn  his  face  toward  tlie  outside  and  go 
in  back^\'ard,  which  movement  affords  an  oppor- 
tunity to  reach  one  leg  down  into  the  descend- 
ing hallway,  or  he  can  get  down  upon  his 
haunches  and  squeeze  through,  his  shoulders 
rubbing  the  top  of  the  entrance  as  he  bends  his 
head  so  as  not  to  bump  it.  The  visitor  will 
then  descend  along  a  corridor  or  outward  apart- 
ment, where  the  small  fireplace  is  set  off  beneath 
a  hole  in  the  roof  to  the  inner  room,  where  the 
Aleut  can  stand  erect,  but  the  average  Ameri- 
can bows  his  head  to  save  the  rafters.     Here, 


1' 


i'l 

'If 

'if 


i||f.iiJMHUi,,)lllil»n 


134 


A   TRIP   TO  ALASKA. 


m 


in  an  Jipartmcnt  about  six  hy  eight  foot  on  tlic 
sides,  reside  tlie  Aleutian  otter-hunter,  his  wife, 
and  two  or  tlirec  ehildren,  and  lienerally  one  or 
more  rehitives  of  either  the  husl)and  or  Avife. 
A  short  bed  on  each  side  acconnnodatcs  them 
all.  The  bed  consists  generally  of  grass  mats 
spread  upon  the  floor  within  the  space  defined 
by  a  pole  four  or  live  feet  in  length,  laid  upon 
the  ground  to  keep  the  bedding  from  going 
adrift  around  the  room. 

Once  within,  the  visitor  sees  that  the  walls  of 
this  Aleutian  residence  are  made  by  dijririns:  the 
sand  out,  stakes  being  set  up  to  keep  the  sides 
from  caving  in.  Uprights,  stringers,  and  rafters 
of  driftwood  are  put  up,  and  sand  from  the 
hillside  shoveled  down  upon  them  for  a  roof. 
The  floor  and  portions  of  the  sides  are  covered 
with  mattino  made  of  dried  irni-^s ;  a  box  or 
two  which  hold  the  clothing  of  the  family,  and 
a  cheap  clock,  complete  the  kit  of  fhrniture ;  a 
religious  picture  is  in  every  baral)ara,  and  in 
most  of  them  a  bottle  containing  hol}^  water 
hangs  beside  the  sacred  work  of  art,  which  may 
l)e  worth  ten  cents  by  the  dozen.  A  piece  of 
transparent  sea-lion  intestine  in  the  roof  serves 
for  a  skylight. 

Of  such  h;il)itations  as  that  just  described 
there  are  twenty  or  twenty-five    in   the   sand 


JSLANDiS,  ROCKS,  AND  MUMMIES. 


1^5 


ridofo  ovorlookino:  the  Kvslikji  harbor.  Tho 
church  docs  not  ii:rcall\'  diU'cr  in  architectural 
]K)i!it.s  from  the  residences,  excc})t  that  it  is 
louiifcr  and  consists  of  only  one  apartment.  All 
the  other  churches  ue  have  seen  in  Alaskan 
settlements  contrive  to  have  a  sanctuary  con- 
taining" the  altar,  which  is  concealed  from  the 
view  of  worshippers  hy  u  curtain,  when  the  sol- 
emn mystery  of  the  transubstantiation  is  takin<( 
place ;  but  here  circumstances  seem  not  to  ad- 
mit of  such  lui  apartment  without  di<rging  into 
the  house  in  the  rear.  l>esides,  there  is  not 
an  ordained  priest  here,  the  services  being  only 
such  as  may  be  i)erf()rmed  by  a  deacon.  Yet 
the  people  nuist  have  a  church,  though  they  are 
compelled  to  stoop  down  and  crawl  in  one  at  a 
time,  and  in  spite  of  the  fact  that  a  man  cannot 
stand  erect  against  the  sides  when  in.  Stand- 
ing upon  the  ridge  the  church  would  not  be 
noticed  were  it  not  for  a  small  cross  sticking  up 
in  ji  slightly  raised  mound  of  sand,  and  it  is 
only  by  going  around  to  the  low  door  in  front 
that  evidences  of  an  entrance  into  the  side  of  the 
hill  are  discovered. 

Farther  are  three  wooden  double  crosses. 
These,  surrounded  l)y  habitations  of  the  living, 
indicate  the  cemetery,  three  otter-hunters  hav- 
ing been   capsized  and    drowned  at  sea  here- 


'V 


m 


136 


A    Tin  I'   TO  ALASKA. 


abouts  a  voar  ufjo.  Siicli  casualties  do  occur 
notwithstaiKlin<r  the  skill  used  in  handliii";  their 
bidarkies.  Tliat  year  the  party  cai)tured  nine- 
ty-two sea-otter,  but  us  yet  few  have  been 
taken. 

Only  one  otter  was  seen  around  Kyshka 
since  the  party  came  in  JMay,  —  it  is  now 
June  26,  —  but  all  of  the  men  except  two  are 
out  on  the  reefs  and  rocks  Ivinji'  adiacent  to 
this  island,  and  by  fall  they  may  brin<^ 
in  enough  to  make  a  profitable  season  of  it. 
Whether  or  not  they  go  back  in  the  fall  to 
Atka  depends  on  the  agent  at  Onalaska,  who 
regulates  these  affairs,  sending  parties  out  in 
his  schooners  when  desired,  and  taking  them 
off  when   considered    most   expedient. 

Although  no  "jreat  amount  of  fur  has  as 
3^et  been  obtained,  the  people  seem  nuich 
better  off  than  those  at  Attou,  a  great  deal  of 
which  may  be  due  to  industry.  The  women 
here  are  tidy  \\\  their  dress,  and  the  barabaras 
are  kept  much  neater  than  in  Attou,  where  one 
could  not  make  a  charitable  visit  without  ex- 
periencing a  feeling  of  uneasiness  as  to  what 
miijht  be  involuntarily  carried  awav.  Possiblv 
the  mingling  with  whites,  Finlanders,  Russians, 
and  others  at  Atka  has  led  these  people  into 
ways   of  "cleanliness  which  the  more  westerly 


ISLAXJ)^,  HOCKS,  AND   Ml' MM  IKS. 


VM 


Aleuts  i)alpfibly  stand  in  irrcat  necMl  of.  A 
large  amount  of  charity  in  tlic  way  of  a  change 
of  clean  ck)thing  might  well  he  bestowed  upon 
Attou,  but  at  least  a  box  of  kitclien  soap  should 
go  with  it,  and  the  people  shouhl  be  compelled 
to  use  it  energetically. 

The  Aleuts  now  upon  Kyshka  are  probably 
hai)pier  than  they  would  be  if  in  Atka,  for 
although  they  get  no  tish  they  have  plenty  of 
sea-lion  meat.  At  the  time  of  our  visit  meat 
and  flippers  were  hanging  upon  i)oles  to  dry, 
and  the  stomachs  of  sea  lions  tilled  with  blub- 
ber lay  around  on  the  ground  ripening.  The 
blubber  is  cut  and  packed  into  these  paunches, 
which  are  larije  enouij-h  to  hold  flfteen  or 
twenty  gallons,  and  the  opening  being  securely 
tied,  they  remain  in  this  condition  till  decompo- 
sition occurs,  when,  rancid  and  unpleasant  as  it 
would  be  to  some  people,  the  oil  is  acceptable 
to  the  Aleuts,  young  and  old,  as  honey  to  the 
followers  of  Moses  in  the  desert.  From  the 
great  paunches  of  the  sea  lion  it  is  poured  into 
bladders  and  kept  at  hand  ready,  like  golden 
syrup,  to  be  poured  over  the  dried  seal  or  sea- 
lion  meat,  or  fish,  as  the  case  may  be,  when  it 
forms  a  luxurious  lubricator.  When  the  weaned 
baby  wakes  up  crying  in  the  night,  a  small  skin 
of  rancid  oil  is  put  to  its  mouth,  and  as  the 


.!! 


■ 


i'lN 


,™*1 


■ifl 


V 


138 


A    Tliir    TO  ALASKA. 


smooth  li(jui(l  glidos  down  its  throat,  it  acts  like 
soothing'  syrup,  and  under  its  magical  intlucuco 
the  little  darling  sinks  to  sleep  again  and  re- 
sumes its  })leasant  dreams  of  beautiful  angels 
with  llii)pers  for  wings,  Hocking  about  the  beach 
or  in  the  water. 

In  addition  to  sea  lion  the  women  and 
children  of  Kyshka,  M'hose  husbands  and 
fathers  were  away  hunting  the  sea -otter, 
were  revelling  in  Avhale-nieat  juid  blul)ber,  a 
grampus  having  come  ashore  *on  the  morning 
of  our  arrival.  Consequently  they  were  happy. 
AVhen  there  is  plenty  of  meat  and  blubber  at 
home  and  the  men  are  abroad,  aftairs  <ro  on 
quietly  but  rather  monotonousl}^  in  an  Aleutian 
settlement.  It  requires  the  men  to  obtain 
sugar,  manulacture  quass,  get  drunk,  and 
beat  their  wives  to  drive  dull  care  away. 

In  the  year  1805  the  people  of  Oumnak 
Island  discovered  smoke  or  steam  ascending 
from  the  sea  about  thirty  miles  to  the  north- 
ward of  them.  The  vapor  was  succeeded  by 
fire  and  ashes,  and  the  volcanic  eruption  con- 
tinued till  an  island  or  rock  was  created, 
which  now  forms  one  of  the  most  strikins;  of 
the  Aleutians,  all  of  which  are  bold  and 
picturesque.  This  latest  formation  of  the 
ai'chipelago,    an    island    known   to   have    been 


ISLANDS,  KOCKS,  A  XI)  MUMMIES. 


VV,) 


niisod  up  out  of  tlic  scji  within  tho  ineiiiory 
of  ni.'Ui,  wiis  iiMiiicd  for  St.  John,  the  Theo- 
loiiiiui  ( l>ou<)slov).  S()in(^  })ortions  of  tho 
oriuiiKil  fonnution  hjiv(^  fallen  down,  it  would 
Jippciir,  for  it  is  cortuinly  not  now  so  hw^xo 
'ds  it  is  rt'poi'tcd  to  huvo  boon.  Its  hoiu'ht 
is  about  two  hundrod  and  soventv  foot,  and  its 
longth  alonu^  the  orost  from  north  to  south,  — 
its  lonij^ost  lino  —  is  sonx^vhat  over  five  hun- 
drod foot.  It  rises  from  tho  water's  edg'o  on 
both  sides  to  a  sharp  riduo,  the  walls  boini^ 
as  steep  as  a  Gothic  roof.  A  few  hundred 
yards  out  from  the  northernmost  extremity 
of  the  island  stands  a  pillar  sixty-seven  feet 
hii»:h,  lookinii*  at  a  distance  like  a  sentinel 
posted  to  keep  watch  for  the  approach  of  an 
enemy. 

As  we  first  saw  Bogoslov  it  loomed  dimly 
throui»*h  the  distance  of  a  misty  atmosijhere  in 
a  threatening  manner,  its  size  being  apparently 
magnified  by  the  thick  weather.  As  we  a})- 
in'oachod,  and  its  dim  outlines  wore  sharpened 
into  jagged  points  all  along  its  sunmiits,  Hocks 
of  sea  birds  began  to  circle  out  around  \\\e 
steamer,  at  first  keeping  a  respectful  distance, 
but  as  other  tlocks  sailed  out  to  reinforce  the 
skirmishers  all  came  whirling  closer  and  closer 
to  inspect  the  strange  visitor,  for  ships  seldom 


I'  »  ■■ 


f'-l 


Ill 


no 


A    TRIP  TO  ALASKA. 


«jiil  within  siiiht  of  Boixoslov.  Next  a  band  of 
.sea  lions  aj)))('ar('(l  on  our  port  Ix'am,  their 
.sliarp  noses  sticking  out  of  tlio  water  liive  liogs, 
niakinir  their  way  toward  llu!  rock  wliicli  is 
tiieir  (librahar.  Looking  surprised  at  tiie 
steamer,  wliich  was  between  tiieni  and  tlie 
ishuid,  tiiey  linally  settled  down  out  of  sight 
beneath  the  waves. 

Sharper  now  l)eeanic  the  projections  of  the 
rock,  and  the  number  of  l)irds  thickened  the 
air  as  we  steamed  ahead  through  the  mist.  Ap- 
T)r()achin<>;  still  nearer,  the  sky  oyerhan<>inir  the 
island  was  al)solutely  blackened  by  birds  on  the 
wing,  that  swung  and  cfireered  over  their  rocky 
home  as  mosquitoes  are  seen  to  darken  the  air 
at  wood-landings  in  the  evening  along  the  u{)})er 
jNIissouri  Kivcr.  The  sky  was  almost  shut  out 
from  view  by  birds. 

At  the  foot  of  this  immense  rock,  and  from 
end  to  end,  the  narrow  l)each  is  fringed  with 
sea  lions  which  occup}'  the  base  as  water  fowl 
hold  possession  up  above.  The  foaming  waves 
which  break  on  the  scattered  fallen  boulders 
forbid  the  approach  of  a  boat,  and  as  the  sides 
are  too  steep  for  scaling,  the  inhabitants  above 
and  below  rest  in  apparent  security  from  ma- 
rauding man.  The  fat,  chubby,  oblong  murre, 
which  at  tirst  came   to  meet  us  in  Iohg:   lines. 


J;:)LA^'IJS,  JiOCKS,  AX  J)  MUMMIES. 


141 


ciivliiiir  around  the  vessel  from  stem  to  stern 
with  sidelonu^  looks,  us  it'  inspeeting  hull  and 
vja-ojiinr,  lollowed  US  out  witli  iin  impudent  air 
of  invitini*-  us  to  come  and  u^et  them  if  we  could. 

These  birds,  tlioui::h  stronu:  on  the  wini::  wlien 
once  in  the  air,  are  so  short  and  stout  that,  un- 
less headini;  toward  the  wind,  they  exi)erienee 
trouljje  in  risino-  I'rom  the  water.  Beini*-  alarmed 
when  floating  on  the  waves  they  throw  out 
their  short  wings  and  flap  and  flutter  like  gos- 
lings making  an  unsuccessful  attempt  at  flight. 
With  the  wind  abaft  they  ofte?i  fail  to  rise  at 
all,  and  after  half-running  and  flapping  on  the 
surface  of  the  water  for  a  few  rods,  their 
webbed  feet  aiding  in  sustaining  them,  they 
suddenly  bethink  themselves  of  another  way  of 
escape,  nnd,  like  alarmed  prairie  dogs  starting 
into  the  first  holes  they  can  find,  they  plunge 
beneath  the  waves,  and  are  seen  no  more. 

There  are  other  volcanic  rocks  and  islands, 
and  there  are  active  volcanoes,  too,  on  the 
course  we  have  traveled  from  At  ton  to  Boffos- 
lov,  among  the  most  noted  of  which  are  the 
Four  Mountains.  It  may  be  repeated  tha: 
there  is  not  a  bit  of  tame  scenery  in  the  Aleu- 
tian Archipelago  from  the  i)eninsula  to  the  w^est- 
ern  limit  of  our  possessions.  jNIountains  of 
the  most  picturesque  character  rise  abruptly  out 


1 

•■;i- 
1 

-t* 

'li 

' 

1  -i 

' 

f' 

,1; 

'1' 

\'^ 

jl 

■l 

'i  I: 


"  n 


iii'i 


"I 


^?«*S!frr 


142 


A    TRIP  TO  ALASKA. 


ol'  Hk;  sea,  their  sunimits  heinir  veiled  in  clouds 
or  biinks  of  mist,  their  sides  covered  Avith 
snow.  We  luive  been  cruisinii*  alouff  the 
Alaska'!  mainland  and  islands  from  IMay  to 
»Jul\'  from  Cape  Fox  to  Attou,  and  never  yot 
have  Ave  seen  land  without  snow.  Not  alone 
})acked  high  up  in  cool  crevices,  but  down 
almost  to  the  water's  ed<>e.  Yet  the  ai»ricul- 
tural  resources  of  this  country  are  actutdlv 
asserted  by  certain  writers  on  Alaska  to  ecjua! 
those  of  Xew  Enii'land,  where  corn  cakes  and 
pumpkin  pies  flourish.  At  Four  Mountains, 
on(^  of  the  islands  passed  on  the  run  from 
Attou,  nnunmies  are  found  in  a  cave,  and 
thougli  we  did  not  touch  at  the  island  and  con- 
se(|uently  could  not  have  descended  into  the 
cave  to  resurrect  any  of  the  remains,  the  writer 
saw  at  least  one  mummv  sa;d  to  have  been 
brought  from  Four  Mountains  ;  and  rei)()i's()f 
them  having  been  once  deposited  there  in  num- 
bers are  too  well  authenticated  to  l)e  doubted. 
It  is  stated  that  previous  to  having  been  con- 
verted to  Christianitv  it  was  the  custom  ot  the 
Aleuts  to  subject  their  dead  heroes  to  the  con- 
densino-  influences  of  !i  stream  of  cold  ^vater  for 
a  number  of  days,  after  which  the  ''  subject "  was 
always  placed  in  a  sitting  posture  within  a  cave, 
where  the  flesh  hardened,  and  remained  upon  thi) 


ISLANDS,  ROCKS,  AXD  MUMMIES. 


143 


bones.  The  process  was  a  simple  and  ortective 
water  eiire,  l)ut  is  most  worthy  of  consideration 
in  contrast  with  the  custom  of  southeastern 
Alaska  and  liritish  Columhia  Indians,  who  burn 
the    bodies    of  tluMr  dead,   while  those  of  the 


1 


)iams 


lav  ti 


lu  remains  away  in   tree  tops  or  up 


on  poles  to  dry.  On  the  AUnitian  Islands  fuel 
is  so  scarce  as  to  be  mor.?  precious  than  dead 
bodies,  even  of  heroes,  and  it  could  not  be  ap- 
propriated to  cremation,  but  water  was  found 
to  answer  the  purposes  of  preservation  and  it 
was  cheap.  In  southeastern  Alaska  and  British 
Columbia  the  su})ply  of  wood  is,  to  the  Indian 
mind,  inexhaustible  iind  there  the  dead  arc 
l)y  tire  preserved  from  corruption.  On  the 
plains  the  sun-s^od  rarities  the  atmosphere  till  it 
is  all-sufficient  to  nnniimify  the  dead  body ;  and 
so  the  children  of  nature  live  upon  nature 
wherever  they  may  be,  always  having  their 
ideas  of  tlu*  future  colored  by  their  surround- 
inirs. 


;-'*|l 


i    f 


H'fffi 


-vf^rrnf^ 


CHAPTER   XIV. 


OUll    ARCTIC    EELATIONS. 


"OETURNIXG  from  the  Avestern   extreniitv 


n 


of  the  Aleutian  Islands  to  Onalaska,  the 


"Rush"  was  coaled,  watered,  and  prepared  for 
another  cruise.  On  July  10  she  steamed  out 
from  Onalaska  harbor,  headed  northward^  and 
was  soon  under  the  encouraoino-  influences  of  a 

~         ID 

southwesterly  breeze  which  promised  to  l)e  of 
great  assistance.  On  the  next  day,  however, 
the  breeze  was  succeeded  by  a  calm  and  great 
heavy  swells,  which  came  rolling  in  from  the 
f|uarter  whence  we  had  our  favoring  wind  on 
the  day  before.  It  was  a  beautiful  day  in  the 
sense  of  stillness,  but  the  sky  was  overcast  as 
usual.  It  was  said  that  as  soon  as  we  got  north 
of  the  parallel  of  the  fur-seal  islands  we  should 
have  sunshiny  weather,  but  our  experience  all 
the  »vay  up  through  Behring  Sea  and  Behring 
Straits  into  the  Arctic  was  such  as  to  dispel  the 
idea  of  clear  skies  in  the  reijion  visited.  There 
was  sunshine,  it  is  true,  but  in  very  small 
144 


ill 


OUR  ARCTIC  RKLATIONS. 


145 


iitif  ■  i 


m 


quantities  eoinparod  witli  the  lliiek  weather 
encountered.  On  »Iuly  11  wo  passed  the  hiti- 
tude  of  the  seal  ishuids  and  had  fog  all  day. 
On  the  12th  the  sky  Avas  overcast  all  day. 
On  the  loth  we  i)assed  St.  Lawrence  Island, 
and  that  niiiht  lav  to,  owini;  to  the  had  weather. 
Sonndino-s  had  been  taken  at  intervals  r.ll  alonir 
up  from  Onalaska,  iriving  only  tifteen  to  twent}' 
fathoms  at  forty  to  sixty  miles  from  land.  The 
eastern  sde  of  Uehrinir  Sea  is  very  shoal,  and 
prol)ahly  has  less  deptli  now  than  when  any  of 
the  surveys  recorded  ui)on  existing  charts  were 
made.  Tiie  Kuskoquim  and  Yukon,  both  im- 
mense rivers,  continue  to  bring  down  hundreds 
of  tons  of  nuid  daily,  whicli  is  (h^posited  and 
spread  out  along  the  shore  a  '  tar  to  seaward. 
The  Yukon,  like  the  ^Iississi[)pi,  has  ;ui  enor- 
mous deposit  at  the  sea,  compelling  .iic  water 
to  seek  such  outlets  as  it  can  force  tliroui»h 
the  immense  bars.  \U  mouths  an^  numerous, 
but  all  shallow,  preventing  vessels  of  any  con 
siderable  draft  from  entering  or  even  approacii- 
inii*,  but  the  river  itself  is  as  larii'e,  once  in,  and 
as  navigai)le  as  the  Father  of  Waters.  The 
Kuskoquim  is  similnr  in  character,  and  the 
latter  is  m'aduallv  lillin<>"  up  tin;  sea  south  of 
the  Yukon.  Around  the  shore  from  off  tlie 
mouth  of  the  Yukon  to  St.  Michael's  there  is. 


;ti 


I 


146 


A   TRIP   TO  ALASKA. 


n  Ml 


ill  places,  not  more  tliiin  three  latlioms  of  water 
til'teen  miles  from  land. 

The  weather  liad  l)een  against  us  latterly  to 
a  (lisc()ura<>ino-  de<i:i'ce.  Cantain  BaiU)y  started 
nortliward  with  a  view  t')  investigatinir  the 
illicit  rum  traffic  in  violation  of  the  revenue 
laws  in  Jiehring  Straits,  and  with  favorable 
weather  soniethin<>-  miaht  have  been  accom- 
plished.  Thick  fogs,  however,  going  u])  and 
coming  down,  shut  out  the  land  at  times  when 
it  was  most  desirable  to  cruise  close  to  shore  in 
shoal  waters.  Vse  entered  the  Straits  on  the 
night  of  the  fourteenth,  and  it  was  hoped  we 
might  have  clear  weather. 

About  four  o'clock  on  the  morning  of  th.e 
hfteenth  we  passed  Fairway  Hock,  dimly  seen 
through  the  thick  fog  rising  abruptly  out  of  the 
water,  looking  at  a  short  distance  like  a  hay- 
stack. We  had  a  better  view  of  it  after  mid- 
night on  the  sixteenth,  and  at  live  miles  distance 
it  showed  up  naked  and  abrui)t,  riiring  live 
hundred  feet  abov<^  the  water  without  so  nuich 
as  a  spoonful  of  soil  or  a  leaf  of  vegetation  visi- 
ble upon  it.  Fairway  Hock  stands  just  south 
of  the  Diomede  Islands,  between  which,  only 
live  miles  apart,  the  line  runs  which  separates 
America  from  Asia,  the  United  States  from 
Russia,  or,  to  put  it  still  more  nicely,  the  line 
between  Alaska  and  Siberia. 


OUR  ARCTIC  RELATIONS. 


147 


The  Diomcdes  are  two  islands  in  Ik'hrinii- 
Straits  almost  in  a  line  between  Cape  Prince  of 
Wales  on  one  side  and  East  Cape  on  the  other. 
From  Cape  Prince  of  AVales  to  the  most  easterly 
of  the  two  islands  is  twenty  miles ;  from  East 
Cape  to  ,ie  larger  and  most  westerly  of  the 
Diomedch  is  twenty-tive  miles  ;  from  outside  to 
outside  of  both  is  about  nine  miles,  makinir 
tifty-four  miles  across  from  continent  to  conti- 
nent, with  two  stepping-stones  between.  The 
narrowest  point,  however,  is  a  trifle  north  of 
this,  where  the  crossing  may  be  made  to  East 
Cape,  in  a  direct  line,  in  forty-eight  miles. 

Intercourse  between  the  natives  on  either  side 
has  lone:  been  maintained,  loni>er  than  a^q  or 
they  can  tell.  They  have  crossed  from  one 
continent  to  the  other  in  large,  open  boats,  and 
still  do  so  for  the  exchange  of  commodities  ; 
and  doubtless  for  hundreds,  if  not  thousands, 
of  years  before  Columbus  crossed  the  Atlantic 
there  was  marrying  and  giving  in  marriage 
between  Asia  and  America.  Now,  on  our  ex- 
treme northwestern  coast  the  peo}ilc  are  called 
Eskimos.  Farther  to  the  eastward  and  south- 
ward their  cousins  are  called  Xortli  American 
Indians. 

At  the  present  time  considerable  traffic  is 
made  by  "pirates"  with  our   Indians,    on  the 


ii' 


l-l' 


''I 

'    0. 


U| 


1 1 


'!*  I. : 


rn 


148 


A   TRIP   TO  ALASKA. 


shores  of  Bchring  Straits  and  the  Arctic,  in 
bone,  oil,  and  walrus  ivory.  Neither  the  oil 
nor  ivory  are  very  valuable,  but  whalebone  is 
worth  three  dollars  a  pound  in  New  York,  and 
the  manner  in  which  it  is  obtained  from  the 
Indians  leaves  the  trader  a  clear  proHt  of  about 
two  dollars  and  a  half  per  pound.  Ivum  is 
bouii'ht  in  Honolulu  for  sevent^'-five  cents  a  ^aX- 
lon ;  it  is  watered  one-half,  and  a  cfallon  of  this 
diluted  but  villainous  drink  is  iriven  for  a  pound 
of  bone. 

The  Arctic  is  the  summer  residence  of  the 
ri^rht  and  bowhead  whales,  the  only  kinds  from 
Avhich  irreat  (luantities  of  bone  are  obtained.  A 
bowhead  will  furnish  from  a  thousand  to  two 
thousand  pounds  of  bone,  all  of  which  comes 
out  of  the  mouth,  but  which  is  not  bone  at  all. 
Rio-ht  wJiales  are  not  quite  so  valuable  for  bone, 
but  contain  more  oil.  They  yield  from  a  hun- 
dred to  a  hundred  and  fifty  barrels  of  oil,  as  u 
general  thiuii^,  but  as  nuich  as  three  hundred 
barrels  of  oil  have  been  taken  from  a  single 
whale. 

The  Indians  up  this  way  go  to  sea  in  skin 
boats  and  strike  whales  when  discovered,  hav- 
ing seal-skin  buoys  at  the  ends  of  their  harpoon 
lines,  so  that  if  the  monster  gets  away  they 
have  a  chance  to  follow  him  up.    Their  old  har- 


OUR   ARCTIC   RELATIONS. 


140 


pooiis  were  iii;idc  of  liluss  heads,  that  with  every 
struii'frle  worked  farther  and  farther  into  the 
flesh,  and  wlien  tlirown  in  sufiicient  nunihers 
resulted  in  bleeding  the  animal  to  death.  Of 
course  the  capture  of  a  whale  is  an  important 
affair  to  these  peo})le,  as  in  addition  to  a  thou- 
sand pounds  of  bone  and  ii  hundred  barrels  of 
oil  they  get  an  innnense  supply  of  meat,  which 
is  buried  for  future  use.  Even  thouiih  the  whale 
should  come  ashore  weeks  after  the  hunt  and  be 
found  in  ii  putrid  condition,  the  l)one  is  good, 
and  the  flesh  is  not  wasted. 

The  traffic  about  Cape  Prince  of  \\"ales  and 
Clarence  Sound  between  "})irates"  and  the  Es- 
kimos resulted  in  a  number  of  murders  a  few 
years  aao.  Rum  and  breech-loadim*;  rifles  were 
furnished  to  the  natives  in  exchange  for  their 
(commodities,  and  the  result  was  not  conducive 
to  the  welfare  of  the  natives,  profitable  to  the 
revenues  of  the  country,  nor  just  to  legitimate 
traders  who  have  scruples  against  infraction  of 
the  laws  of  the  land  and  of  morals.  The  In- 
dians along  the  straits  get  some  land  furs  also, 
which  form  a  considerable  item  in  this  trade, 
although  the  skins  are  by  no  meu.is  so  valual)le 
as  those  obtained  farther  south  in  Alaska. 

The  rum  dealt  out  to  the  Indians  is  not  only 
bad    in   that  it  is  of  the  cheapest   quality  of 


:^l 


% 


m 


Iff 


r* 


i'A 


h 


;;{' 


Wi 


150 


A    Tin  I'    TO  ALASKA. 


sorghum  fermentation,  hut  it  is  vile  in  re- 
spect that  it  is  snuiiiuled  in  from  the  Sandwich 
Iskmds,  while  honest  Pennsylvania  and  Ken- 
tucky whiskey  pays  a  tax  of  ninety  cents  u 
gallon. 

A  remedy  could  and  should  be  found  for  this 
state  of  affairs,  and  it  might  be  applied  with 
profit  to  the  public  [lurse. 

What  is  needed  is  a  United  States  steam 
vessel  of  about  five  hundred  tons,  that  Mould 
be  able  to  carr^^  enough  coal  from  San  Francisco 
or  Nanaimo  for  a  six  months'  cruise.  She  should 
be  constructed  with  a  view  to  iroinir  into  the 
ice  without  having  her  stern-post  and  rudder 
carried  away.  She  should  be  ready  to  enter 
the  straits  as  soon  as  the  ice  o})ened,  in  ]\Iay 
or  June,  and  cruise  along  the  coast  as  high  up 
as  Kotzebue  Sound,  or  even  to  Icy  Cape,  and 
down  to  Port  Clarence,  then  work  along  the 
coast  southward  to  San  Francisco  for  winter 
quarters.  A  vessel  of  that  class  so  managed 
would  doubtless  break  u})  the  piratical  opera- 
tions which  have  been  carried  on  in  these 
waters. 

The  "  Rush  "  made  an  unsuccessful  run  to 
the  Arctic  because  she  was  too  late,  not  beins: 
rigged  for  going  into  the  ice  with  safety,  and 
because   her   short   supply  of  coal    would   not 


OUR  ARCTIC  RELATIONS. 


151 


admit  of  her  remainiiiir  so  far  north  in  bad 
weatlicr.  Had  the  weather  been  elear  slie  n'ii>hl, 
have  run  across  a  contraband  tra(Un',  even  at 
that  hite  day  in  the  season,  altlioiiirh  those  ves- 
sels were  supposed  to  be  generally  to  the  north 
and  cast  of  C'ai)e  Prince  of  Wales,  especially 
such  as  are  ria'ii'e<l  for  whaiino-  as  well  as  tradinii'. 
Neither  in  the  straits  nor  in  the  Arctic  did  we 
see  a  sail  of  any  size  or  shape,  —  not  even  a 
canoe  ;  and  it  was  only  at  short  intervals  that  we 
could  see  the  land. 

At  7.30  o'clock  on  the  inornins:  of  the 
fifteenth  of  July, — then,  according*  to  dead 
reckoninjx,  under  the  lee  of  the  Dioniedes,  with 
Cape  Prince  of  Wales  on  the  starboard  beam,  cal- 
culating from  Fairway  liock,  the  last  land  seen, 
—  the  "Rush"  was  hove  to  for  clear  weather. 
Drediiing  was  commenced  aaain  m  the  cause  of 
science,  and  it  at  once  became  apparent  tluit  we 
were  drifting  rapidly  to  the  northward.  This 
contimied  with  thick  fog  till  five  o'clock  in  the 
evening,  when  the  veil  lifted  and  we  i)icked 
ourselves  up,  according  to  observation,  twenty- 
six  miles  to  the  northward  of  the  Dioniedes  and 
forty  miles  northeastwardly  from  East  Cape  to 
Siberia.  We  had  drifted  with  the  current  at 
least  twenty  miles  during  the  day  and  were  well 
into  the  Arctic  Ocean. 


1 


1^ 


.  f 


A" 


'4 


"I 


I  i 


■  fir 


If 


I 


»i.  I  ig 


''    ■      I 


152 


A    THU'   TO   ALASKA. 


As  far  ns  could  bo  seen  to  the  northward  the 
sky  was  clear  and  the  Asiatic  coast,  which  trends 
otr  to  the  northwestward,  was  visible  for  lifty  or 
sixty  miles,  but  the  American  side  was  still  en- 
velo])cd  in  a  thick  f()<r.  About  six  o'clock  tiiis 
lifted  so  as  to  show  the  top  of  a  mountain  on 
Cai)e  Prince  of  Wales  for  a  few  minutes,  l)wt 
this  soon  disappeared  again.  Presently,  how- 
ever, the  gray  mists  began  to  move  otV  to  the 
northeast,  and  then  the  rugged  line  of  peaks  on 
the  extreme  northwestwardly  point  of  our  [)os- 
sessions  stood  out  picturesquely,  the  low  land 
along  the  coast  northeastward  of  thecai)e  l)eing 
still,  and  to  the  last,  concealed  from  view. 

Then  we  had  before  us  a  noble  picture  of  the 
l)old  headland  of  Siberia  on  the  starboard  beam, 
Cape  Prince  of  Wales  on  the  port,  and,  l3ing 
almost  equidistant  between  them,  the  Diomedcs 
at  the  head  of  the  straits.  We  were  in  the 
Arctic,  with  a  pleasant  but  cool  evening ;  the 
thermometer  indicatina*  ?>T  al)ove  all  day.  It 
promised  to  be  a  clear  night,  and  with  this  hope 
we  got  under  way,  headed  southward  for  the 
straits  again,  intending  to  lay  in  under  the  south- 
ern shore  of  Cape  Prince  of  AVales  to  ascertain 
the  condition  of  affairs  thereabouts. 

A  strong  current  was  setting  up  from  Beh- 
ring  Sea  created  in  part  by  the  southeast  winds 


Olli  AJitrW  RKLATKjys. 


i5;j 


which  wc  had  experienced  on  our  way  north, 
and  we  made  sh)\v  progress  nirainst  it.  Still 
we  had  })I(Mity  of  time  to  reacli  tii(5  Cape  Ix;- 
fore  morning,  it"  "  morning"  can  he  understood 
wliere  tliere  is  no  niglit,  and  there  was  no  ap- 
parent cause  for  anxietv.  Once  more  we  heiran 
to  hope  for  an  all-day  sun,  l)ut  again,  by  half 
past  ten,  the  northern  sky  was  obscured  by  a 
l)ank  of  clouds  which  had  come  up  out  of  the 
southwest.  The  sun  (lisai)})eared  behind  the 
clouds  but  (hirkness  did  not  come.  At  11  p.m. 
the  sky  in  the  southeast  was  aglow  with  retlec- 
tions  from  behind  the  clouds  in  the  opposite 
point,  over  which  the  purple  and  crimson 
frinircd  clouds  hehl  out  a  siij-nal  that  the  smi 
was  still  above  the  horizon.  As  these  hues 
faded  out,  a  delicate  straw  tint  ai)peared  above 
the  low  clouds  in  the  north,  and  this  soon 
deepened  to  a  satfron  which  by  midnight  be- 
came a  rich  salincm  color,  and  dawn  was  an- 
nounced as  at  hand  in  all  her  glory.  Although 
durino;  the  ni<>ht  and  at  twelve  o'clock  the 
northern  sky  was  obscured  by  clouds,  about 
nine  degrees  above  the  horizon  there  was  a 
broad  rent  upon  which  the  changes  going  on 
below  were  recorded,  that  we  might  see  and 
know.  There  was  an  abundance  of  clear  sky 
overhead,  the  blue  of  day  so  light  that  not  a 


if ' 


i  , 


\ 


rl. 


1  t 


'i,  V 


</       3 


154 


-I    Th'ir    TO   ALA.SKA. 


still*  could  in.'ikc  Itst'lf  vi.sil)le  at  any  time.  It 
was  clear  day  all  iiiiilit,  hriiilitcr  at  twelve 
than  at  eleven,  it'  j)()s.sil)le,  and  hriL^liter  at  oiw 
in  the  ni>)rnini^  than  at  twelve,  and  l)ri«^hter 
then  also  than  at  breakfast  time,  when  the 
clouds  and  i'oi:,-  prevailed. 

The  i'oii'  had  formed  in  lanciful  shapes,  owinf; 
to  the  uiuiven  surface  of  the  land  from  which  it 
had  been  lifted,  and  through  this  the  lii»ht  of 
the  morning-  sun,  toned  by  the  stronir  colors  of 
the  north,  were  cast  in  a  wonderfullv  striking 
manner.  The  pale  sea  <2:reen,  like  the  sun 
shining-  throuiih  the  crest  of  a  wave,  appeared 
in  the  north,  aiiain  bordered  by  purjdc  of  richest 
dye,  while  crimson  and  molten  gold  appeared 
lower  down.  The  "brassy"  character  of  the 
sunset  two  ni<»hts  before  was  here  absent,  the 
efTects  now  Ijeing-  of  the  richest  character  possi- 
ble to  conceive. 

Turning-  out  at  seven  o'clock  in  the  morning 
and  going  upon  deck,  it  was  ascertained  that  at 
3.o0  A.  M.  the  fog  had  shut  out  the  land,  and 
the  "  Kush  "  was  obliged  to  haul  ot^*,  owing  to 
the  presence  of  shoals  and  reefs  which  could 
only  be  avoided  in  clear  weather,  as  charts  can- 
not be  relied  on  for  information  concerning 
them.  Then  we  stood  down  the  straits  again 
with  the  intention   of  })utting  in  to  Port  Clar- 


orn  AiicTir'  rklatioss. 


155 


encc,  ji  resort  of  nortliorn  crinsers ;  but  this 
could  not  1)0  \\vm\v  willi  s;it(^tv,  owiiiiT  to  the 
thick  weather;  :iii<l  there  was  notliiiin"  to  \w 
(lone  hut  eoiitinue  soutl-ward  auaiiist  wind  and 
tide.  A  two-knot  current  sets  up  throunii  the 
straits  and  tliat  is  what  makes  tiiis  tlu^  most  de- 
siral>l(»  route  tor  enterini;  the  Arctic.  Jt  is 
well  known  to  whalers  that  thev  can  j»et  into 
the  polar  sea  throuiiii  lieiirinir-  Straits  much 
earlier  than  from  the  head  of  the  Atlantie. 

Coniinii'  southward  the  temperature  <)f  the 
s(\'i  water  ran  \\\)  ten  deurees  in  one  day  ;  enter- 
ini»'  Xorton  Sound,  it  weut  uj)  six  deurees  in  an 
hour.  Soundini»:s  ycsterdav  showed  shallow 
water  all  the  wa^'  dowMi  on  our  side  of  liehrini:: 
Straits,  teu  miles  olf  Port  Clarence  giving  only 
seven  and  a  half  fathoms,  which  was  also  ahout 
the  dej)th  for  hours  in  Xorton  Sound  till  it 
shoaled  to  three  and  a  half.  The  water  here  is 
shallow,  warmed  and  discolored  l)y  the  sand 
from  the  Yukon  Kiver.  The  saline  matter  is 
twenty  per  cent  less  than  that  in  the  Arctic. 


11 


i 


it 

••iii 


ji^j^V  ,^^.i^u«j«i^jljijlu,(ii)l)l)ii™j.iii(;m«^w'iw''w.7>i"»j«ii»M'' 


u  ■    I 


I  ;  r  ■ 


CHAPTER  XV. 

ST.  Michael's  A^'D  tiij:  yukon. 

O  T.  MICHAEL'S,  or  Michaelovsky  Pvedou])t, 
^^  as  it  was  IbnneHy  called,  s^'mds  upon  an 
ishi'.id  in  the  southeast  bend  of  Norton's  Sound, 
l)eiiir>-  situated  in  latitude  63°  29'  54"  iiorth,  and 
162°  8'  west  loiiiiitude.  This  was  established 
as  a  landinn-plaee  and  headqu'v'  rs  of  tha 
liussiau -American  Company  for  tj.e  Yukon 
River  trade. 

In  olden  times  —  that  is  to  say,  under  Russian 
rule  —  iili  i»oods  intended  for  the  Yukon  trade 
were  landed  here,  and  i>eneraJly  taken  around 
to  the  river  in  skin  boats,  or  bidarras,  but  at 
})resent  small  stern-wheel  steamboats  are  em- 
pU)yed  for  that  purpose.  These  boats  do  not 
;^o  out  U)  sea  from  St.  Miehaer!- ,  but  pass 
through  a  sort  of  slouirh  or  canal,  to  the  river, 
which  they  rc'ach  in  jibo^i  tifty  miles.  They 
carry  mej'chandise  ui)  to  the  various  tradin_2: 
posts  in  the  suuimer.  and  in  the  following 
,si)rinir  brinii:  down  the  furs  which  are  received 
during  Ine  winter  months. 

!50 


ST.  MICUAEIJS  AND   THE   YUKON. 


157 


The  Alaska  Commercial  Company  occupies 
the  old  redoubt,  a  picturesque  collection  of  log 
buildings  on  one  side  of  the  bav,  while  three 
miles  across  were  a  number  of  new  l)uildings, 
iicad(iuarters  of  the  Western  Fur  and  Trading 
('ompany.  On  the  same  side  with  the  redoubt, 
al)out  htdf  a  mile  away,  is  the  Mahlemute  vil- 
lage, consisting  of  thirty  or  forty  log  huts  and 
a  "  kashima,"  or  clul)-house,  where  the  Indians 
congregate  to  dance  and  sweat  in  cold  weather. 

When  the  "Rush"  arrived,  a  number  of 
Yukon  Indians  were  gathered  about  the  \\'estern 
Fur  and  Trtiding  Company's  buildings,  having 
come  down  with  the  traders  to  get  supplies  for 
the  ensuing  season.  They  were  in  a  despond- 
ent condition  at  that  time,  owing  to  tlie  non- 
arrival  of  the  vessel  which  was  to  briniz;  the 
goods  and  the  little  steamer.  But  when  we 
reported  the  arrival  of  their  schooner  at  Ona- 
laska,  with  the  assurance  that  she  might  be 
expected  at  the  ternrnation  of  her  vo\'age 
witliin  a  few  days,  there  were  great  rejoicings, 
and  tile  Indians  danced  and  sang  all  nigiit. 

In  this  country,  where,  at  this  season  of  the 
year,  there  is  daylight  all  night,  there  is  a  splen- 
did chance  for  nndving  a  long  dance,  and  where 
beef  is  unknown  and  waterfowl  are  super- 
abundant, an  og<^  festival  in  season  takes  a  form 


III 


■■ -.1  ;  .■(,.  f 


^ 


i,  i 


158 


A    TRIP  TO   ALASKA. 


of  bai'hiii'ic  gorgeousuess  tliMt  iiiMkes  a  powerful 
impression  on  ojie  during  his  first  visit.  Here 
Avhere  the  natives  Avear  fur  parkies,  or  over- 
shirts  with  hood  attached,  and  deerskin  boots 
of  fancy  manufacture  and  varied  hue,  and  where 
bhd>ber  is  considered  ahnost  indispensable, 
tiiere  is  nuicli  for  tlie  visitor  from  eivihzation  to 
see  and  consider. 

Eggs  here  in  season  are  estimated  by  the 
bushel.  Bushels  of  them  are  cooked  for  a  meal 
where  there  may  be  ii  dozen  of  guests,  and 
hard-boiled  u'oose  ea'ii's  are  eaten  with  imi)unitv 
in  such  enormous  Quantities  as  in  civilized  com- 
nnuiit'.es  would  be  considered  certain  death. 

Tl'e  Yukon  sahnon  are  pronounced  the  finest 
on  the  I'acilic  Coast,  (ienerally  s})eakinir,  sal- 
mon :s  (\-y  and  tasteless.  The  Columbia  Uiver 
furnishes  an  almost  inexhaustible  quantity,  but 
a  better  quality  is  taken  further  north.  Sitka 
is  also  famous  for  salmon,  l)ut  Cook's  Inlet  and 
Bristol  Bj'.y  have  those  that  are  better.  Yet 
persons  "who  have  tried  all  say  that  they  are 
best  at  the  mouth  of  the  Yukon  and  in  adjacent 
waters.  They  range  in  weight  from  forty  to  one 
hundred  and  twenty  [)ounds,  and  are  very  fat  and 
well  flavored.  When  drvinu:  in  the  sun  the  oil 
drips  out  of  them,  and  once  dried,  they  may  be 
set  on  fire  and  they  will  burn  like  pine  knots. 


II 


ST.  MICHAEL'S  AND   THE   YUKON. 


159 


Taken  niw  out  of  the  i)niie  up  here,  they  are 
eaten  with  <>i'cat  relish  i)v  the  eivilized,  as  well 
as  the  saviii>e,  inhabitants.  ]>ut  accepting  such 
a  diet  may  he  only  another  proof  of  the  readi- 
ness with  which  man  adapts  himself  to  his  sur- 
roundins>s.  There  is  no  beef  here,  and  for  some 
years  past  there  has  been  little  or  no  reindeer. 
At  the  present  time  moose  is  out  of  the  ques- 
tion, and  rab])its  are  as  scarce  as  spring  chicken. 
Veijetables  are  the  rarest  of  luxuries,  and  ber- 
ries out  of  season.  Therefore,  if  one  can  set 
him  down  to  a  feast  of  hard-i)oiled  s-oose  offixs 
or  raw  salmon  from  the  brine,  after  having 
been  surfeited  on  salt  pork  and  corned  beef  on 
shipboard,  the  change  of  diet  is  delightful,  and 
the  feast  is  pronounced      success. 

There  are  no  gardens  at  St.  Michaers.  What 
could  you  expect  in  such  a  country,  although, 
just  now,  it  is  delightful  ?  Last  week  we  had 
the  thermometer  down  to  thirty-two  Fidirenheit, 
and  forty  was  considered  "away  up." 

Here,  in  Norton's  Sound,  the  ice  did  not 
break  up  till  the  7tii  of  June.  On  the  10th  it 
moved  out  of  the  bay,  but  the  weatlier  was  cold, 
wet,  and  stormy  till  late  in  July.  In  the  win- 
ter the  thermometer  goes  down  thirty  to  fifty 
deijrees  below  zero,  and  it  is  winter  here  eiirht 
mouths    in   the   year.     The    hot   days  are  the 


M. 


\m 


M 


'i  I. 


..c 


i 


I 


160 


A   TRIP  TO  ALASKA. 


exception,  even  in  summer,  although  berries 
grow  plentifully,  und  even  ripen  well,  back  in 
the  mountains.  AVe  had  mosquitoes,  too,  on 
the  first  day  of  our  stay  ;  fine,  large,  earnest 
mosquitoes,  and  barn  swallows  are  plentiful 
about  the  redoubt.  Yet  in  spite  of  all  these 
signs  of  sunnner,  agriculture  will  never  form  an 
important  feature  of  this  part  of  Alaska. 

It  would  be  a  peculiar  country  which  would 
produce  walruses  and  {)olar  bears,  watermelons 
and  tomatoes.  AValruses  go  away  south  of  this 
into  Bristol  Bay,  while  St.  Matthew's  Island, 
one  of  our  possessions  to  the  southwest  of  this, 
is  inhabited  by  polar  bears  exclusively,  neither 
Chinamen,  whites,  nor  negroes  having  an^'  recog- 
nized rights  there.  As  a  purely  agricultural 
proposition  I  do  not  hesitate  to  put  it  down 
that  polar  bears  are  worse  than  coons  for  green 
corn,  and  walruses  are  more  discouniirin":  than 
your  ncigh1)or's  chickens  to  a  tomato  patch. 
As  long  as  polar  bears  and  walruses  arc  per- 
mitted to  run  at  larire  in  this  Territorv,  the  corn 
and  tomato  crop  cannot  prosper.  Some  people 
may  laugh  at  the  meditative  walrus,  and  ask 
how,  with  those  long  tusks,  he  can  eat  without 
standinir  on  his  head,  but  I  have  observed  that 
where  walruses  abound  ripe  tomatoes  are  scarce, 
except  in  cans,  and  if  those  amphibious  animals 


)er- 
lorn 
Iplc 
Itisk 
put 
that 
l"ce, 
lals 


HT.   MICHAEL'S  AND    THE   YUKON. 


161 


and  polar  hears  arc  not  Icopt  yoked  or  muzzled 
there  is  no  use  lookiiii*;  for  a  laro-o  corn  and 
tomato  croj)  from  Alaska.  St.  Micliaels,  or  to 
put  it  more  detinitely,  Michaelovsky,  is  sehlom 
or  never  represented  hv^  mannnoth  veijjetahles 
at  ai^rieiiltural  fairs.  A\'here  the  ice  crop  can- 
not he  aot  out  of  the  wav  hefore  the  middle  of 
June,  Avhere  the  toi)s  of  the  hills  are  morasses 
all  sununer,  and  where  the  inhabitants  will  risk 
being  drowned  for  the  saki;  of  blubber,  when 
the  oil-skin  at  home  is  in  a  coll:ii)sed  condition, 
it  is  useless  to  expect  itiiiantic  i)umpkins  and 
seven-foot  cucumbers.  In  this  respect  St.  Mich- 
ael's greatly  resembles  other  parts  of  Alaska. 

There  may  l)e  causes  why  certain  people 
should  come  to  Alaska  and  settle,  as  there  have 
been  arguments  for  makinijf  l)enal  colonies  in 
the  Aleutian  Arclii})elago.  liut  the  reason  for 
the  one  must  ])e  that  the  immigrants  were  per- 
scmal  enemies  of  those  who  advised  their  remov- 
al, and  for  the  other  that  starvation  should  be 
the  lot  of  all  criminals. 

Ikit  in  truth,  from  the  southeast  to  the  south- 
Avest  extremity  of  Alaska,  the  'Mvush,"'  which 
has  been  cruising  around  the  coast  and  is  ands 
of  this  Territory  from  early"  May  to  late  Julv, 
has  not  visited  a  spot  to  which  it  would  be 
advisable  for  any  person  to  come  from  any  part 


I! 


M|;i 


It**: 


^^p^i. 


1  r 

I.  i 


M 


■r  h 


:;  ffit 


I'    i 


102 


A    TRIP   TO    ALASKA. 


of  the  Stiitcs  wliero  he  may  have  a  liome  and 
be  al)lo  to  earn  a  livelihood.  Xor  have  I  seen 
a  man  in  any  ixjsition  in  Alaska  Avho  would 
advise  a  friend  to  come  out  here  as  a  settler, 
either  in  trade  or  aarieulture. 

We  are  here  in  the  home  of  the  Innuit  or 
Eskimo.  All  the  wav  alono-  the  eoast,  from  tlui 
Kusko([uim  across  the  Yukon,  around  Norton 
Sound,  out  to  Cape  Prince  of  Wales,  and  thence 
northeastwardlv  to  Point  Barrow  and  bevond, 
these  Eskimos  arc  called  Innuits.  'fhey  are 
similar  in  form  and  feature,  they  dress  simi- 
larly, they  eat  the  same  sort  of  food,  they  have 
similar  modes  of  conveyance,  similar  weapons 
and  implements,  have  the  same  traditions  and 
speak  the  same  language,  with  slight  local 
variations. 

It  has  been  acknowledged,  or  it  is  asserted, 
that  the  roots  of  the  language  or  tongue  s})oken 
by  these  peo[)le  and  the  Eskimos  of  Greenland 
are  identical,  the  covered  skin  boat  used  by 
both  being  called  '"kyack,"  while  the  open  boat 
is  denominated  '^oomiak"  here  and  there  alike. 
But  this  miiiht  be  accounted  for  by  the  fact  that 
both  tril)cs  have  always  lived  and  hunted  seals, 
whales,  and  walruses  along  the  coast,  and  al- 
though the  northeast  or  northwest  passage  is 
impractical )le  for  ships,  comnmnication  between 


. .  Jl 


ST.  MICHAEL'S  AXD   THE    YCKOX. 


103 


ed, 
ken 
iiiul 

)oat 
ike. 
tliJit 

ills, 
ul- 

e  is 
.veen 


these  people  must  liiive  been  ire(iiient,  and 
often,  doubtless,  involuntary.  In  any  event, 
it  may  l)e  assumed  as  not  at  all  improbable  that 
the  Greenlanders  \vere  carried  over  from  this 
continent  on  the  ice,  as  these  unm  are  now 
occasionally  carried  out  to  sea,  and  sometimes 
heard  of  no  more,  and  as  their  ancestors  were 
probably  carried  from  Asia. 

Such  a  case  as  this  was  reported  here,  when 
an  Indian  trader,  brin<>'in""  down  a  lot  of  seal- 
skins  from  Unalakleet,  represented  that  one  of 
his  men  was  carried  awav  this  sprimi:  on  the 
ice,  and  the  chief  was  in(iuirin<>-  if  our  vessel 
had  found  him.  It  is  also  known  that  Captain 
Tyson  and  his  men  were  carried  two  thousand 
miles  on  ice  from  the  "Polaris"  a  few  years  aao. 
After  the  "Rush'"  hove  to  under  the  lee  of 
Diomedes  on  the  Hfteenth,  she  drifted  into  the 
Arctic  at  the  rate  of  two  knots  an  hour ;  so  the 
fact  that  the  Alaskan  Tnnuits  and  the  Greenland 
P^skimos  use  similar  words  in  similar  positions 
is  not  remarkable.  It  is  astonishino',  however, 
that  Indians  on  the  ^lackenzie  Kiver,  in  Piritish 
America,  speak  the  same  tongue  as  those  low 
down  on  the  Yukon,  with  tifteen  or  twenty 
tribes  or  bands  between  them  which  have  an 
altoofether  ditferent  tons^ue,  and  which  com- 
pletely    prevent   anything    like    communication 


4.1 
mi 


i  f»  I 


H 


i'f 


■$1 


u 


Jt' 


J. 

I 

K 


1()4 


A   Tliir   TO  ALASKA. 


\i  "I- 


between  those  hiiving  the  words  and  idioms  ;  yet 
such  is  said  to  be  tlie  fnct. 

These  Jnnuils  or  Eskimos  of  Alaska  live  by 
huntiiii!:  hair  seals,  whales,  and  walruses,  whieh 
furnish  them  food  and  oil  for  their  own  use  and 
with  eonunodities  for  trade  to  interior  Indians 
for  furs,  of  w  hich  they  make  dresses  and  bed- 
coverinir. 

Tiie  seal  supplies  them  with  a  hide  whieh, 
when  tanned,  is  nsed  to  eover  boat-frames, 
forminii'  the  kyaek  somewhat  similar  to  the 
bidarkio  of  the  Aleutians  and  Kadiakers.  These 
hides,  called  "lovtak."  are  in  ^rt^at  demand  by 
the  Indians  up  the  "i'ukon  for  boats,  and  those 
same  interior  men  have  a  desire  for  oil  whieh 
makes  an  interchange  of  connnodities  between 
the  coast  and  inland  natives  hi<>ldv  advanta- 
geous  to  both  and  of  pi'ollt  to  tlie  hite  traders, 
who  have  come  in  as  middlemen  and  as  pur- 
chasers of  the  surplus  oil  and  furs. 

The  walrus  is  hunted  for  its  ivorv,  which  is 
used  in  the  manufacture  of  arrow  and  spear 
hesids,  and  also  many  other  articles  of  value 
and  adornment.  Any  animal,  from  a  whale  to 
wild  duck,  may  be  taken  by  ivory-headed 
spears,  which  are  more  plentiful  among  these 
Indians  than  either  firearms  or  iron-headed 
weapons. 


CHAPTER  XVI. 


KILLING   THE    AVIIITE    WHALE. 


i 


"TOURING  our  stay  at  St.  Michael's,  wo  were 
-'-^  so  fortunate  as  to  witness  the  killini»-  of  a 
white  whale,  or  griunpus,  by  the  Indians.  An 
Indian  who  acts  as  trader  at  Unalakleet  for  the 
Alaska  Commercial  Company  came  sailing  up 
the  sound  one  da}^  in  a  large  l)idarra.  He  car- 
ried a  foretopsail,  and  came  floating  in  as  quietly 
and  gracefully  as  Elaine's  barge,  with  the  dumb 
boatman,  floated  with  the  tide  to  King  Arthur's 
castle.  The  l)idarra  sailed  up  to  the  beach, 
the  mast  was  sent  down,  and  the  contents  of  the 
boat  beofan  to  find  tlieir  wav'  ashore.  Twenty- 
three  men,  women,  and  children  and  two  dogs 
were  first  landed.  Then  tents,  camp  equipage, 
and  salmon,  fresh  and  dried,  for  the  party. 
After  that  the  men  connnenced  carrvinii'  oft' 
shoulder  loads  of  dressed  sealskins,  neatly  put 
up,  five  in  a  bundle,  till  forty-eight  large  and 
fortv-one  of  the  smaller  size  were  landed.  Five 
bundles  of  sealskin  thongs,  lashings  for  boat- 

165 


1.3  i     *sl( 


hi 

;i 


r'   "l     « 


l^i 


.  i 


iWT 


Kili 


,1    TRW   TO  ALA.Sh'A. 


building  —  no  nails  being  uscul  —  were  carried 
oir  next,  followed  by  two  sealskins  of  oil,  and 
bundles  eontaining  five  hundred  inannot  skins 
for  fur  robes.  All  this  came  out  of  an  oi)en 
skin  boat  twentv-tive  feet  loni::  by  eiiiht  feet 
beam,  —  Hat  bottom,  of  course.  As  the  bidarra 
came  in,  the  natives  noticed  a  school  of  Avliite 
whales  in  the  bay.  They  had  been  runninij  in 
great  numbers  all  day  without  being  disturbed. 
After  the  freight  had  been  landed,  however,  one 
of  the  men  who  came  down  from  ITnahd-ileet 
jumped  into  a  kyaek  and  naddled  out.  He 
did  not  go  a  mile  1)efore  lu  came  up  with  his 
game,  and  as  one  of  the  lari2:est  sized  arose  to 
bh)w,  the  Indian  threw  his  harpoon,  which  took 
11  solid  hold.  At  the  moment  when  the  whale 
shot  down,  the  shaft  of  the  harpoon  slipped 
away  from  the  head,  which  was  connected  by  a 
line  with  an  inflated  sealskin,  acting  as  a  buoy. 
The  harpoon  was  not  to  kill,  but  to  connect  the 
fish  with  the  buoy.  xVs  soon  as  the  lazy  Indians 
loatins:  on  shore  and  on  board  the  steamer 
saw  that  the  '"  beluga,"  as  it  is  called,  Avas 
struck,  they  put  out,  to  the  number  of  a  dozen, 
to  assist  in  the  ca})ture  and  share  in  the  sport 
and  spoils. 

As  they  gathered  around  they  formed  a  novel 
and   an  excitins:   scene.     It   was  a  hunt  of  a 


KILLlXfi    Till':    WIUTK    WUALK. 


UW 


dozen  inon  in  sinall  .s(»:ilsl\iii  hojits  jif'ter  u  mon- 
ster with  power  onouiili  to  wrcfk  tlicni  all  with 
one  l)low  it"  it  could  strike  tlicin  all  toj^'ethor. 
'i'lie  IJoaliiiii"  sealskin  iii(lieate(l  ihe  inos cnients  of 
the  beluii'a  below,  and  tin;  little  Heel,  Ibrnied  in 
a  scniieirele,  went  pad(llini>-  tor  the  prey.  A 
))elui»a  eannot  remain  below  very  long-,  and, 
whenever  this  one  eame  n\)  to  blow,  a  kyaek 
was  alongside,  and  an  ivory  spear  or  halt'  a 
do/en  spears  would  l)e  dartiul  in  through  the 
alabaster  skin  to  the  bhibljer.  As  the  number 
of  sfjears  increased,  the  beluga  ])ee;une  (|uieker 
in  its  motions  and  more  ehaniieful  in  course, 
but  no  matter  what  the  direction  taken,  or  when 
or  where  the  tortured  animal  arose,  tlh  inevita- 
ble  kyaek   was   then^,  and   more   ivory   spears 


^vere 


thr 


own. 


Lash 


linir  the  waters  an( 


1  t 


ununmg 


(V 


about,  rollinii*  from  side  to  side  in  terror,  but 
vet  not  struck  in  a  vital  i)oint,  the  beluii'a  hur- 
ried  hither  and  thither,  but  there  was  no  escape 


from    the    remorsele 


ss 


]iur 


suers. 


Ilitl 


ler   an( 


I 


thither,  to  the  right  and  to  the  left,  but  always 
advancinof  in  line  or  circular  form,  lio-ht  on  the 
siu'face  of  the  water  as  sea-birds,  and  swift  as 
the  tish  beneath.  Hew  the  buo^'ant  kyacks,  im- 
})elled  and  guided  by  the  single-bladed  })a(klle. 
Each  navigator  of  each  bubble  of  a  boat  w\as 
always  ready  with  another  spear  until  the  be- 


% 


I 


'.,1  • '  ' 


!()« 


A    Tin  I'   TO  ALASKA. 


I 


M   ^ 


ih   m\ 


<;?  ;! 


lii^ji,  us  it  rolhul  up,  looked  like  u  jjorpoisc  of 
IiuiTij  (llnuMj.sloiis  hristlin<^  witli  (Miorinoiis  (luills. 

For  two  hours  the  chase  contiuued,  exteiid- 
inu:  over  :i  line  of  at  least  three  ni'des,  the  helnj^a 
beinii'  «:;i'a(Uially  Avorried  and  tired  out.  Finally 
it  moved  more  slowly  and  slu^i^ishly,  but  as 
yet  8i)oute(l  no  blood,  nor  did  it  appear  nnich 
weakened.  It  was  exhausted  and  half  sullb- 
cated  for  want  of  air,  but,  if  then  released, 
mi^ht  live  for  many  years. 

'I'hen,  as  it  eame  (piitc;  exhausted  to  the  sur- 
face, and  slowly  turnecl  upon  its  side,  the  hunter 
who  had  fastened  the  harjtoon  into  it  was  at 
hand  and,  takinir  'A  lon<>-  lance,  thrust  it  into  the 
bodv  just  back  of  the  rii>ht  tin  and,  churnini::  it 
up  and  down  two  or  three  times  with  liahtnin<r- 
like  rapidity,  shot  away  to  avoid  trouble.  The 
i)elu<T!:a  was  now  mortal Iv  hurt,  and  as  he  lashed 
the  water  into  foam  and  spouted  blood  for  a  few 
moments  in  death  airony,  the  Indians  knew  that 
the  chase  was  over.  Thev  fell  back  and  looked 
on  with  a  quiet  air  of  satisfaction  after  their  ex- 
citino'  hunt,  as  if  they  had  done  nothiuir  out  of 
the  ordinary  course  of  events  with  them.  The 
next  matter  was  to  tow  their  prize  ashore,  which 
was  done  by  buoyini;  it  up  between  four  kyacks, 
the  owners  of  which  paddled  with  it  to  the  In- 
dian camp.     Here  some  forms  and  ceremonies 


■,n^ 


KILLiyu    THE    WHITE    WHALE. 


KID 


were  necessan  ))c!lor(!  luiiiliiiir  it  out  of  the; 
water  and  cultiim-  il  up.  It  will  not  do  to  cut 
u|)  a  l)clu<^ji  witii  an  axu,  and,  if  thcic  arc  seals 
around,  it  would  be  llvinu"  in  the  face  of  fortune 
to  chop  wood.  On  such  ocv-asions  the  tire- wood 
nnist  l)e  cut  with  a  knife.  One  hunter  will  not 
permit  his  wife  to  taste  of  moose  meat  of  his 
own  killinu^  when  it  is  fresh,  hut  after  three 
days  she  mav  have  some  of  it.  In  some  eases, 
for  weeks  after  a  woman  has  become  a  mother, 
she  will  not  be  })ermitted  to  eat  llesh  of  any 
kind,  or  her  husband  would  htive  no  luck  in 
huntiniif. 

In  the  case  of  hm(h'ni^  the  beluii^a,  the  tedious 
ceremonies  performed  by  the  successful  hunter 
concluded  with  trinnninii-  a  small  strij)  from 
the  edi»c  of  each  tin,  from  the  tail,  and  from 
the  upper  li}),  before  the  game  was  hauled 
out  from  the  water.  After  he  had  performed 
his  ceremonies  he  walked  away,  leaving  those 
who  chose  to  cut  off  what  thev  wanted.  Duriiiir 
the  niifht  there  was  a  i»reat  feast  in  can)]),  the 
kettles  being  kept  boiling  till  morning,  and  as 
some  thirty  or  forty  Indians  wen;  workinii'  away 
at  it,  the  beluga  was  not  much  more  than  a 
skeleton  in  twenty-four  hours. 


;  i 


:nsmam 


mrnm 


nfigigjfgfiiittmmmm 


'•J 


HAPTEK  XVJI. 


suPEl{ST^no^^s. 


i^r 


^[  ^llKSK  Indiuus  believe  in  the  "Shtiman,"  or 
-•-  Medicine  Mnn.  Tlie  vShiimti.n  is  not  born 
to  his  })i()t",?s.sion  here,  as  {unonir  the  h)wer  Alask- 
ans, lie  is  the  creature  of  accident  or  (A'  revela- 
tion, lie  has  a  dream  sonielime,  which,  beiii": 
verilied,  he  g'oes  ofi'alone  into  some  remote  place, 
where  he  I'asls  for  several  davb,  after  which  he 
comes  out  and  announces  himself  a  Shaman. 
JVow  iie  is  ready  to  heal  the  sick,  to  reuulate  the 
weather,  and  to  supply  game  in  seasons  when  it 
is  scarce.  His  manner  of  curina'  diseases  is  bv 
incantjitions,  no  vile  druii's  being  administered. 
The  cure,  if  eifected,  is  due  to  his  miraculous 
influence  with  invisible  spirits.  If  he  fail,  and 
the  patient  dies,  he  i)ersuades  the  mourning 
relatives  into  the  belief  that  son;e  other  Shaman 
or  some  old  woman  bewitched  the  deceased, 
and  then  (h'ath  is  the  lot  of  the  otieriding  party 
who  comes  in  between  the  doctor  and  the  dead. 
Some  of  these  Shamans  believe  in  themselves, 
170 


SUPERSTITfOXS. 


171 


but  .'IS  a  rule  thcv  know  llmt  tliov  are  liuinl)ui:*s. 
There  was  one  at  the  "Mission"  on  tlie  ^'ukoii, 
who.  (hirini^  a  scarcity  of  deer,  |)ro})()sc(l  to  oo 
up  to  tiie  moon  and  i>et  a  supply.  It  should  be 
known  that,  accordini>'  to  Innuit  accounts,  all 
"ame  comes  out  of  tl-e  moon,  the  oriiiin  of 
which  orl)  and  others  is  iluis  accounted  for:  — 

In  the  beiiinninu:  there  was  plenty  of  land, 
water,  and  sky,  but  no  planetary  system.  An 
Indian,  who  noticed  that  the  sky  came  down  to 
the  o-round  in  a  certain  localitv,  ^\ent  forward 
and  made  hcles  in  it  with  his  paddle.  One 
stroke  formed  a  rent  throuiih  which  the  sim 
shines,  another  tore  away  the  curtain  from  be- 
fore  the  moon,  and  smaller  stabs  with  the  oar 
made  phu  es  through  which  the  stars  are  now 
yisible.  Tlie  moon  beina'  merely  a  hole  throiiirh 
which  the  lio'lit  shines  from  a  land  where  the 
sup})!y  of  irame  is  inexhaustible,  all  a  Shaman 
has  to  do  for  his  tribe  is  to  go  up  and  throw  a 
suthcient  nunil)er  of  moose  or  deer  down  throuirh 
the  hole.  There  is  no  doubt  in  th(!  minds  of 
some  that  he  can  do  this. 

The  Shaman  at  the  Missicm  who  yolunteere(l 
to  c;o  up  to  the  moon  after  irame  went  on  a 
strong  })ulL  lie  fastened  a  ro))e  around  his 
body,  beneath  Ids  arms,  and  about  his  neck. 
Then   he    went    <lown    under   the    tlooi-   of   the 


■r 


Hi 


n 


^ 


if.     ^ 


I  'I' 


ill- 


ill       t 


If 
):  iii! 


172 


A    rniP  TO  ALASKA. 


"  kashiiiiii,"  or  cliib-liouso,  where  they  have 
tlieir  dances  and  festivities.  He  left  one  end 
of  the  line  in  the  hands  of  some  Indians  above, 
with  instructions  for  tlieni  to  i)u11  as  soon  as  he 
ffot  out  of  siiilit.  Thev  o1)eved,  and  ])ulled 
vi<rorously  until  they  became  tired.  They 
waited  and  rested  ])rietlv,  hut,  hearinir  nothinir, 
the}'  pulled  for  another  quarter  of  an  Iiour. 
Thev  rested  ai»ain,  and  after  that  took  another 
pull,  and  kei)t  this  uj)  till  the  exercise  became 
too  monotonous  even  for  an  Eskimo.  Then 
they  went  down  and  found  the  Shaman  dead. 
They  supposed  this  was  a  reirular  part  of  the 
progrannne  of  <roing  to  the  moon,  and  perhaps 
in  this  they  were  not  far  from  beinir  correct. 
Hut  thev  believed  the  Shaman  would  come  back 
after  throwino-  down  enou<»h  came  from  the 
moon,  and  they  siived  him  for  eiiiht  days  in  a 
sittino"  posture.  At  the  end  of  that  time,  as  the 
spirit  failed  to  come  ])ack,  they  laid  the  body 
awav  to  be  called  for. 

Keindeer  were  formerly  plentiful  hereabouts: 
a  few  years  ajro  they  disai)i)eared,  and  the  next 
winter  they  were  seen  in  umisual  numbers,  not 
in  the  moon,  but  down  fibout  Belkoosky,  on  the 
peninsula  of  Alaska.  They  may  come  back, 
but  the  spirit  of  the  Shaman  will  probably  re- 
main in  the  moon. 


SUPEIiSTlTIONS. 


173 


In  order  to  liavo  infliioiK'o  iiniong  tho  people, 
it  is  necessaiy  that  tlie  Shaniaiis  should  l)c  pos- 
sessed of  mysterious  powers.  They  perform 
many  feats  that  would  do  eredit  to  ''  material- 
iziiii^  mediums."  There  was  oue  who  would 
])crmit  his  hands  to  be  bound  toirether  with 
leather  thoiifrs  behind  his  baek,  and  would  i)ull 
the  lashing's  throuuh  his  body  and  show  the 
wrists  still  fastened  in  front.  But  it  was  indis- 
pensable that  this  miracle  should  be  ])erformed 
beneath  his  parka,  or  skin  robe.  Of  course, 
he  could  not  draw  his  l)ound  hands  through  the 
})arkn.  On  one  occasion,  the  parka  beinir  raised 
unexpectedly  to  the  Shaman,  it  was  found  that 
(me  of  his  hands  was  already  half  out  of  the 
bindings,  and  it  a})peared  that  his  wrist  was 
disproportionately  large,  so  that  he  could  re- 
lease and  again  insert  the  hand  in  the  lashings. 
Such  a  develo})ment  generally  only  proves  the 
presence  of  unfavorable  spirits.         ^ 

Another  element  of  inlluence  is  for  the  Sha- 
man to  ])e  able  to  repeat  some  words,  or  jargon, 
which  the  conunon  Indians  cannot  comprehend. 
The  words  mav  have  no  meaning-  or  sioniticance, 
but  they  have  a  great  intlucnce  among  the  unin- 
itiated. A  Shaman  who  ijoes  aboard  of  a  vessel 
and  picks  up  some  of  the  ])hrases  of  the  sailors 
(such  as  are  called  "  vigorous   Saxon "    when 


*f 


:  -  X: 


I     ^ 


h     ^' 


174 


A    TRIP  TO  ALASKA. 


i    .■-  A\ 


used  l)y  grcjit  men,  but  arc  put  down  and  re- 
buked as  ''  lioi'i'id  oaths  "  in  the  mouth  of  the 
connnon  herd)  supplies  himself  Avith  a  sort  ol' 
annnunilion  that  can  be  used  to  great  advantage 
in  incantations  for  aame,  or  to  drive  out  devils. 
Some  of  these  fakirs  eat  fire,  also,  whicli  is  a 
valuable  accomi)lishment ;  and  one  Shaman,  at 
Pastolic,  between  St.  ]Michaers  and  the  mouth 
of  the  Yukon,  permitted  himself  to  be  liurned 
alive  to  satisfy  the  people  that  he  Avas  not  a 
swindler.  lie  had  an  innnense  pyre  of  logs 
arranged,  near  the  hut  in  mIucIi  all  of  the  people 
were  assembled,  and,  at  a  i:iven  siiznal,  he  took 
a  position  in  the  centre,  and  the  torch  was  Mp- 
plied.  He  stood  thci'e  calm  as  a  to])acco  sign, 
Avitli  I  wood(m  mask  upon  his  face,  and  gazed 
upon  the  people  as  they  retired  into  the  hut  to 
'^make  medicine"  for  him. 

In  half  an  hour  they  came  out,  and  saw 
nothing  but,  the  mask  in  the  centre,  all  the 
logs  around  it  being  on  fire.  The  next  time 
they  went  out  all  was  burned  down  to  cinders, 
and  they  again  returned  to  the  hut.  Presently 
a  slight  noise  Avas  heard  ui)on  the  roof,  followed 
innnediately  by  the  descent  of  the  Sliaman,  mask 
and  all.  The  etTect  was  wonderful,  as  it  was  in- 
tended to  be,  but  it  cost  the  Shaman  about 
twenty-live  dollars   worth   of  skins  to   his  two 


SUPERSTITIONS. 


lib 


saw 

the 

lime 

(levs, 

iiKisk 
jis  in- 

lil.oui 
two 


accomplices  who  nrniiiged  the  hok^  through 
which  lie  crawled  out  uuder  the  logs  of  the 
pyre,  and  who  worked  the  peo})le  into  the  hut 
and  out  again  at  the  proper  time.  One  of  the 
confcd(;rate.s,  who  ;\t'terwards  worked  for  a  white 
man,  confessed  the  material  part  he  had  taken  in 
the  mystery.  Tiie  mask  seen  in  the  tire  Avas  not 
upon  the  Shaman's  face,  hut  fustencd  lo  a  pole. 

The  origin  of  man  and  other  animals,  accord- 
ing to  the  account  of  the  in)-couiitry  Indians,  is 
not  without  its  mystery  -'d-o.  ]Man  and  all 
other  animals  were  created  hy  the  engle  and 
the  blue-jay,  jointly.  After  man  was  nearly 
Mnished,  the  jay  proposed  to  give  him  wings, 
])ut  to  this  the  eagle  objected,  saying  that  he 
had  already  been  made  too  powert'ul,  and  to 
permit  him  to  fly  would  be  to  make  him  alto- 
gether dangerous.  Some  controversy  occurred 
on  this,  but  the  eagle  would  not  give  way,  and 
consecjuently  the  jay  would  have  nothing  fur- 
ther to  do  in  the  matter,  and  Avithdrew  from 
the  co-partnership. 

That  (lis})ute  explains  why  the  eagle  keeps  as 
far  from  man  as  possiblo,  Avhilc  the  jay  goes 
into  his  camp  with  impunity,  and  takes  what- 
ever he  wants,  if  \w  can  lind  it.  The  jay 
knows  he  did  all  he  could  for  man,  and  as  the 
man  knows  it,  too,  the  bird  la  not  molested. 


I 


-'  s, 


176 


A   TRIP  TO  ALASKA. 


:<  'fl 


*i,  *' 


i:  il 


If};  lii 


When  the  Indian  dies  he  goes  to  that  land 
which  the  wild  ij^eese  seek  in  the  winter.  It  is 
a  lonii'  way  oil",  and  the  entrance  to  it  is  a  narrow 
pass  which  may  be  travelled  only  when  the  snow 
is  melted.  Some  Indians — the  bad  ones — have 
greater  trouble  than  others  in  makin<T:  the  jour- 
ney, ])eing  obliged  to  go  through  a  long,  dark 
passage,  probai)ly  through  the  Iloosac  tunnel. 
Thev  are  not  yet  determined  on  the  exact  na- 
ture  of  that  portion  of  the  journey.  It  is  an 
article  of  faith  which  thev  sav  they  believe  in, 
but  do  not  consider  it  necessary  to  comprehe  id. 

Their  views  and  doubts  on  this  question  are 
almost  enough  to  lead  one  to  suspect  them  of 
having  a  religion,  but  they  haven't.  They  all 
believe,  however,  that,  once  in  the  promised 
land  they  will  find  clear  skies,  warm  weather, 
and  an  lnexhaustii)le  supply  of  game.  It  is 
the  "happy  hunting  ground"  over  agiin,  with 
variations  having  their  origin  in  the  cdmate  in 
which  the  Indian  passes  his  earthly  existence. 

Living  here  in  /in  Arctic  region,  with  v,  brief 
but  delightful  summer  of  three  months,  riostly 
composed  of  daylight,  the  Indian  creates  such 
a  heaven  as  he  fancies  he  would  most  enjoy. 
Sunnner  and  g.une  are  the  chief  elements  of 
heavenly  haf-pincss.  Other  Indians  will  incor- 
porate   some    cumm(^n    want,  as   Ji  dog   and  a 


sri'KRsriTJ(j\.^. 


177 


iil 


iscd 
her, 
:    is 
vith 
c  in 
te. 
jrief 
)stly 


o 


f 


pcov- 
nd  a 


pony,  and  creato  a  hcaviMi  accordiniily.  Slari- 
iuiX  on  common  o-i-oimd  tin;  Indian  idea  of  a 
future  lile  lias  ehanu'cd  as  the  Indian  chanued, 
ii'eneration  after  li'eneralion,  from  one*  locality  to 
anotiier.  These  Indians  doirt  Iviiow  wiiat  a 
horse  is.  The  i)lain  Indians  cannot  fancy  hap- 
])iness  ^vith()ut  iioi'ses,  and  these  ideas  intluence 
their  view  of  futurity. 

"The  "(Jreat  Spirit,"  and  even  tlie  "(ireat 
Fatlier''  in  A\'aslnn<»ton  are  heinii's  of  whom 
nothina'  is  asked  amoiiii'  tiu;  Eskimos.  (Jive 
them  plenty  of  l)lul)l)er  to-day,  and  they  do 
not  concern  tiiemsdves  about  to  morrow  or  the 
futiu'e.  They  likc^  pk'uty  of  grease,  and  for 
that  reason  would  rather  encounter  a  whale  than 
a  missionarv.  Tiiev  Mi;ed  *';!ats,  and  would 
rather  capture  a  hair  seal,  th<>  -kin  of  which  is 
an  im])ortant  article  in  their  naval  architecture, 
than  to  receive  a  trunkful  of  tracts.  l  iiey 
think  more  of  a  dog-team  than  of  a  free-school 
five  stories  high,  with  douhle-acting  seats  and 
desks.  They  are  a  lazy,  <lirty  set,  and  wIhmi 
the  (Vtholic  hishop  was  u})  here  among  them, 
offering  to  haj^tize  their  chddren,  they  said  he 
might  if  he  would  })ay  tl^em  for  it.  When  peo- 
ple iret  reiiii'ion  in  that  uav  it  does  n't  take  a 
very  stijung  hold  on  them,  under  a  generation  or 
two. 


I  • » M  m 


b(  !' 


CHAPTER  XVni. 


DOGS    AND    DUIVERS. 


t  t  '■ 


^nilE  old  schoolboy  notion  of  the  North 
^  American  Indian  as  Ji  creature  that  could 
run  day  and  niiiht  tlu'ouiih  tlie  pathless  woods, 
I'roni  the  .VUciihany  Mountains  to  the  lilack 
Hills,  livnig  on  panthers  and  catamounts  as  he 
raced  along,  going  tor  weeks  without  sleep  or 
rest  of  an}'  kind,  does  not  fit  these  Innuits  or 
Eskimos.  These  fellows  seldom  ^valk,  they 
take  their  exercise  mainly  in  boats  during 
the  sunnner,  and  compel  the  squaws  to  dry 
enough  sahhon  and  collect  a  sufficient  (juantity 
of  driftwood  to  last  duriuii'  the  winter,  ^^'hen 
compelled,  however,  they  can  do  some  good 
travelling:  with  do4i-teams  and  sledges  in  the 
winter.  St.  Michael's  is  one  of  the  most  noted 
places  for  dog  teams. 

AVhen  we  landed  at  St.  ^lichael's  Ave  were 
warml}'  welcomed  by  about  Hfty  dogs,  thirty- 
two  of   which    had    ))een     )i  n  ide(l   for  by  the 

''Jemmette"  and  eight  mt   e  wiii'U  M-xpected  for 

178 


DOGS  AND  DRIVERS. 


170 


on* 
Irty- 

for 


the  s.'ime  expedition.  These  ^r.'ihleniiile  or  l^s- 
kiinos  cloij^s  are  <roo(l-naturo(l  fellows,  alwuvs 
ghid  to  see  a  uhite  man,  no  matter  how  ureat  a 
stranger  he  may  l)e.  They  stand  around  the 
landinii-place  on  tlie  l)eaeh  waving  their  hushy 
tails  and  h)lling  out  their  tongues  on  warm  days 
in  the  most  friendly  maimer  j)ossil)le.  I'liey 
do  not  wai>'  their  tails  like  frivolous  soeietv  doLTS 
in  eivilization,  hut  gently  and  graeefully  sway 
them  to  and  fro  like  willow  ])ranehes  wavinii;  in 
a  sunnner  hreeze.  Ilavino-  jrreeted  the  stramxer 
as  a  friend,  and  by  every  look  and  action  in- 
vited him  to  make  his  home  amonij;  them,  they 
hiy  the  weleoming  tail  upon  the  left  hip,  and 
Avalk  up  the  hill  with  him  in  a  grave  and  digni- 
lied  manner,  as  to  sav,  "Now  that  vou  are  one 
of  us,  no  form  nor  ceremony,  you  know.  If 
you  see  anything  you  want,  take  it." 

To  a  person  nervous  on  the  dog  question,  to 
one  always  expecting  to  be  ehitehed  at  the 
throat  by  a  mastiff,  or  be  nipped  on  the  heel  hy 
a  cur,  to  one  who  believes  in  hydro]ihobia  in 
its  most  terrible  form,  it  cannot  be  other  than  a 
genuine  pleasure  to  meet  a  party  of  Kskimo 
dogs,  which  seem  to  entertain  a  sincere  friend- 
ship and  respect  for  the  white  man.  Inde(Ml. 
it  is  quite  flattering  when  compared  with  their 
indilference  for  the  Indian.     I  say  nothing  about 


31 
ill 


180 


.1    TUir   TO  JLA/^h'A. 


'  !  "  I 


m  tlA 


M   i  i 


the  domestic  'Tids"  amonui:  these  don-s,  heciiiise 
those  tire  nirairs  that  never  ought  to  be  heard  of 
outside  the  family  circle,  l)ut  it  is  well  known 
that  their  ears,  when  in  a  normal  condition, 
always  stick  sharply  uj),  while  after  heinu: 
"chawed"  they  liMnii-  down  in  a  way  that  gives 
the  animal  to  which  ihev  hclonu"  a  hlnf^e.  not  to 
say  a  dchauched  a)i])carance — and  a  good  many 
ears  are  in  a  morbidly  despondent  condition. 

When  the  sun  shines  and  iIk;  thermometer 
gets  UJ)  to  sixty,  as  we  had  it  at  St.  ^Michael's, 
these  dogs  lie  in  the  shade  and  i)ant.  AVhen 
there  is  a  sunnner  shower  tliey  stroll  about  and 
smile.  They  have  heavy  coats  for  the  cold 
"winters,  and  as  yet  their  masters  have  not  gone 
so  far  as  to  considt  their  comfort  by  shearing 
theni  in  the  spring  like  slice}).  So  they  must 
sweat  and  pant  in  dog-days. 

Two  teams  hitched  n\)  to  sledges  here  afforded 
us  an  exhibition  of  how  such  affairs  are  man- 
aged, and  in  both  instances,  as  soon  as  the  har- 
ness was  brought  out  and  laid  upon  the  ground, 
every  old  dog  al)out  the  place  was  wild  with 
excitement  and  eag-r  to  get  into  collar  and 
traces.  We  went  up  on  the  "tundra,"  or  wet 
prairie,  back  of  the  redoubt,  and  with  five  dogs 
hitched  tandem,  had  a  ride  u})on  the  sled,  which 
Avas  hustled  along  over  the  grassy  hummocks  at 


DOUS    AM)   lUilVKliS. 


181 


.!     M 


a  good  trot,  Ji  man  ninniiiii'  .'ilioad  as  u  guide, 
and  another  holding  the  handk's  behind,  as  with 
a  plow,  to  steady  and  keep  the  shut  tVoni  going 
over.  These  tandem  teams  were  ot  "American 
mastitl'"'  breed,  the  K>i\imo  dons  bcini:-  always, 
till  very  lately,  worked  double,  one  on  each 
side  ot"  !i  line  from  the  sled  to  a  sini»le  leader  in 
front.  They  liave  their  advantages  and  disad- 
vantages. Tlui  American  dogs  are  more  power- 
ful than  those  of  Eskimo  breeding,  and  working 
them  in  single  tile  reciuires  less  trail-breaking  in 
II  deep,  light  snow.  But  they  cannot  stand 
vsevere  cold  ecpial  to  the  Kskimo  dogs,  which 
have  the  shaggy  coats,  and  have  been  acclimated 
through  generations  of  predecessors. 

The  Eskimo  dogs  are  generally  of  a  light 
l)rown,  frequently  mottled  with  a  darker  shade 
of  the  same  color.  A  few  show  some  white. 
They  are  about  twice  as  large,  on  an  average, 
as  the  Spitz  dog,  which  is  connnon  in  the  States. 
While  patient  and  tractable  with  man,  they  have 
their  own  troubles  and  fre(iuently  make  night 
hideous  with  their  howlinii's. 

There  has  been  nuich  romaneinsf  and  exaiiiro- 
ration  about  the  ca})acities  of  Eskimo  dog  teams, 
but  from  the  best  accounts  it  is  not  prudent  to 
Stan  '>ut  on  a  trip  of  any  considerable  distance 
wit  11  more  than  tw^o  hundred  pounds  to  a  team 


l,| 


m 


|i 

■; 

1  flu 

^ 


^r^z 


o> 


IMAGE  EVALUATION 
TEST  TARGET  (MT-S) 


// 


^ 


1.0 


I.I 


Uim    |2.5 

|so   "^     MBi 

1^  Uii    12.2 


lis 


L25  }|i.4  1 1.6 
—  ill—  lllll— 

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7. 


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Photographic 

Sciences 

Corporation 


33  WEST  MAIN  STREIT 

WEBSTER,  N.Y.  MStO 

(716)  873-4503 


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k 


L17 


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V> 


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^ 

'»-% 


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— rmwf— -ff 


m 


182 


A    TRIP  TO  ALA.sk A. 


of  seven  dogs.  The  tnideis  generally  travel 
with  a  number  of  teams  together,  that  the  men 
may  be  of  assistance  to  each  other.  The  cargo 
is  lashed  tirnily  into  the  sled,  so  that,  iu  case 
of  a  capsize,  it  can  be  righted  again  without  re- 
packing. Under  very  favoral)le  circumstances, 
on  good  roads  (smooth  ice  or  \v(!ll-packcd,  level 
snow),  long  distances  are  made.  Ninety  miles 
in  one  day  of  fifteen  hours  have  I)een  traversed 
with  a  team  of  nine  dogs.  Such  drives  are, 
however,  of  rare  occurrence.  During  the  sum- 
mer the  dogs  receive  but  little  attention,  l)eing 
left  to  forage  for  their  food  generall}',  getting  m 
few  scraps  or  a  little  fish  souj)  occasionally. 
But  in  the  winter  they  are  valual)le  property, 
and  are  often  swapped  or  sold  at  fancy  prices. 
When  a  trader  is  starting  out  alone  from  the 
base  of  supplies  with  his  team,  all  the  other 
traders  make  a  i)oint  of  being  up  and  about  at 
an  early  hour  on  that  morning,  to  see  that  no 
mistakes  are  made  about  the  dogs  harnessed,  as 
an  eye  is  always  kei)t  to  the  main  chance  of 
ffainins:  a  good  do<r  ])y  accident. 

The  Eskimos  are  generally  a  quiet,  inoffensive 
peo})le.  From  the  Kuskoquim  northward  to 
the  rum  region  the  Indians  have  a  flattering  fear 
of  the  ■white  man.  They,  and  all  other  Indians 
in  Alaska  having  connnunicatioiis  with  traders 


DOQS  AND  DlUVEim. 


i«a 


I  he 
ler 

at 

no 
,  us 

of 

iive 
to 
"Ifear 
lUms 
lleis 


before  Seward's  purchase,  wcie  kept  in  close 
suhjection  hy  the  Russians,  who  made'  thoni  feel 
their  power,  so  that  even  to  this  day  a  white 
man  may  2:0  into  a  "kashinia"  alone  and  un- 
armed, and  heat  wliomsoever  he  pleases  without 
much  risk  of  nioetinu;  witli  resistance  or  retalia- 
tion ;  and  this  anion^  a  peo))le  who  heiievc  ni 
avenirinir  the  death  of  a  relative  hy  blood.  Of 
the  wiiite  man  ti)ey  have  a  dread,  because  they 
believe  he  represents  a  power  that  could  crusii 
th'Mn  out  of  existence,  and  would  be  quick  to 
do  it  if  provocation  were  iriven.  That  is  amonj^ 
the  more  southern  Innuits  or  Eskimos,  and 
above,  amon<i:  the  Yukon  and  Tennanai  Indians, 
where  white  men  ^o  to  trade.  It  is  well  for 
the  whites  that  the  Indians  so  repird  them,  or 
they  would  not  dare  to  stay  in  the  country  an 
hour. 

Amonu:  the  coast  natives  of  Cape  Prince  of 
AVales  and  Kotzbue  Sound,  there  is  a  ditferent 
condition  of  atlairs.  WhHe  men  would  hardly 
be  safe  to  go  amonij  them  alone  as  they  do  up 
the  Yukon.  The  mode  of  traffic  up  the  coast 
way  is  for  the  Indians  to  come  off  in  their  l)oats 
to  the  vessels  that  freciucnt  these  waters,  and  do 
their  trading  on  l)oard.  Kven  this  is  now  con- 
sidered somewhat  dangerous  for  vessels  with  a 
small  equipment. 


% 


%\ 


184 


A    run*  To  ALASKA. 


It  NNas  al  Capo  Prince  of  Wales  that  the  In- 
dian mas^5acrc  occurred  in  1877,  and  as  tliere 
have  been  figlits  and  feuds  at  other  points  to 
tlie  northward,  in  consequence  of  tlie  presence 
of  rum  amonij  them,  it  is  not  a  good  place  for 
a  white  man  to  go  alone.  How  long  the  more 
southern  Eskimos  will  maintain  their  ])resent 
submissive  character  cannot  be  foretold,  but  the 
presence  of  an  armed  ship  in  these  waters  every 
year  would  go  a  long  way  toward  kee))ing  these 
peaceable,  and  toward  preventing  the  further 
demoralization  of  those  to  the  northward,  by 
suppressing  the  rum  traffic. 

These  coast  Indians  about  Norton  Sound  Lave 
a  fashion  of  clipping  their  hair  from  the  ujiper 
part  of  the  licad,  leaving  the  lower  portion  to 
ffrow  longer.  This  is  then  cut  around  in  a 
circular  fashion  so  as  to  have  it  "banged"  on 
the  forehead,  after  the  style  of  the  young  ladies 
of  the  United  States  and  other  highl}'  civilized 
places.  From  the  forehead  the  lower  line  is 
graduated  around  in  a  slope  to  the  back  of  the 
neck.  Now,  when  some  of  the  Tennanai  In- 
dians come  down  the  Yukon  and  see  this  style, 
they  adopt  it  as  the  "latest  agony,"  and  go 
home  with  a  swaggering  air  as  if  just  returned 
from  London  and  Paris  to  Oshkosh. 

Some  of  these  Indians  have  their  noses  pierced, 


DOGi>  ASD  DRIVERS. 


185 


and  a  great  many  have  two  holes,  one  on  each 
side  of  the  lower  lip,  just  ])elowthe  eorners  of 
the  mouth.  h\  southern  Alaska  and  in  Hritish 
Columbia,  scjuaws  have  one  such  ajierture,  in 
which  they  weur  an  ivory  ornament,  sometimes 
an  inch  in  width  and  a  (luartcr  of  an  inch  in 
thickne'^s,  hut  here  the  men  have  two  of  these 
wounds.  It  is  not  an  unconnnon  thinii"  here  to 
see  a  vouiiir  ii'irl  iroini;  aloii";  with  a  short  string 
of  l)eads  pendant  from  her  nose,  the  sight  of 
which  may  he  very  fascinating  among  the  young 
men  of  her  tribe,  but  to  one  not  accustomed  to 
such  ornamentation  the  effect  at  a  distance  of 
ten  or  fifteen  paces  is  not  particularly  i)leasing. 
A  closer  view,  when  one  comes  to  see  exactly 
what  it  is,  is  not  quite  so  shocking ;  and,  i)os- 
siblv,  if  one  were  onlv  used  to  it,  the  fashion 
would  be  quite  as  tolerable  as  rings  in  the  ears, 
banging  the  hair,  and  chewing  gum. 


I 


R:n  If 


CIIAITER  XTX. 


PIIODUCTS    OF   THE    YUKON    REGION. 


nnilEKK  arc  no  fur  seal  nor  scji-ottcr  skins  in 
-*~  the  tnidc  anioui,^  tlio  Eskimos,  l)ut  there  is 
a  character  to  the  furs  whicli  tells  of  the  country 
where  they  originate.  White  foxes,  the  Arctic 
hare  —  all  white,  wiiite  wolves,  white  bear,  and 
while  deer  skins,  are  connnon  articles  of  trade. 
In  addition  to  these  are  the  land  otter,  marten, 
American  sable,  miid<,  beaver,  red  fox,  marmot 
or  ground  scjuirrcl,  and  muskrat,  as  the  i)rinci- 
pal  skins.  The  difference  lietween  martin  anc 
American  sable  is  one  rather  of  deirree  than  of 
kind.  The  Siberian  sal)le,  the  most  valuable  of 
land  furs  (except  silver-gra}'  and  black  foxes), 
is  darker  than  the  American  sable  when  it  is 
found  in  the  woods  where  there  is  a  perfect 
shade.  The  scanit}'  of  trees  makes  the  fur 
lighter  in  color,  until,  in  the  marten,  it  become 


'S 


a  brown  and,  rarely,  yellow.      In  the  animal 
itself  there  appears  to  be  no  marked  difl'erence 
between  the  sal»le  and  the  marten.    The  marten 
180 


lii  \'Ai' 


PRODUCTS  OF  rilR    Yl'KON  RKdlOX. 


187 


Ol 

of 
cs), 
is 
lect 
i'lU" 
mt's 
uial 
■?nce 
iteu 


is  quick  and  hold  onoiiirh  to  kill  Iho  porcupine ; 
and  yet  it  can  l)c  easily  tamed  so  that  it  will 
sprinjj^  up  in  a  sociahle  way  and  snatch  the  meat 
from  its  mtister's  plate.  It  is  ((uicker  than  :i  eat, 
and  is  sure  death  on  rats  and  mice.  Whether  it 
is  called  marten  or  American  sahle  the  animal 
is  the  same.  The  ([uality  of  tlu;  marten  and 
sahle,  as  well  as  the  color,  is  Mllected  hy  local 
circumstances.  When  the  snow  is  soft  and 
light  all  the  winter,  the  fur  gets  a  hright  i)()lish 
jind  remains  smooth  and  even  on  the  surface. 
When  the  snow  hecomes  hard  and  sharp,  hy 
j)acking  and  hy  thawing  and  freezing,  it  cuts 
the  long  tine  hairs  of  the  skins,  producing  un- 
even and  harsh  edges.  This  circumstance 
makes  an  important  dilference  in  the  value  of 
the  skin. 

AVolverincs  were  formerh'  so  nuich  in  demand 
amoui;  the  coast  Indians  up  this  way,  that  the 
trading  eom])anies  ])urchased  tliem  in  Cook's 
Inlet  and  liristol  l>ay  for  imi)ortation  here, 
where  they  were  used  ]>y  the  natives  in  triui- 
ming  parkies.  The  wolverine  is  not  only  scarce 
among  them,  hut  it  is  a  "medicine"  animal,  the 
Indian  killing  one  setting  every  sort  of  food 
availahle  and  lighted  candles,  or  oii-lam})s, 
around  the  carcase  for  two  days  l)efore  skinning 
it.     That    is    the  custom   umonir  the    interior 


I 


i" 


188 


A    TRIP   TO  ALASKA 


Indiaii.s  wlio  kill  thcin.  Tpon  tlu;  coast,  how- 
tivcr,  tliu  wolverine  is  not  foiiiid,  and  con.se- 
<luontly  the  skins  are  in  L^eal  demand.  Tliev 
are  not  so  larirelv  imported  from  helow  as 
rormerly,  heinj^^  now  hronu^ht  down  by  tra..ers 
from  tlie  up))er  Ynkon.  The  parka,  or  fur 
robes,  on  the  American  side  of  the  Straits, 
are  made  of  the  marmot  or  i-round  squirrel, 
trinnned  with  wolverines  around  the  lower  edire 
of  the  skirt,  the  hood  havinir  a  border  of  white 
wolf,  which  irives  the  face  of  the  wearer  a 
weird  and  fantastic  appearance.  The  men's 
parkas  are  generally  plain,  except  the  wolver- 
ine border  on  the  skirl  and  wolf  on  the  hood; 
but  some  of  the  women's  robes  are  ver^'  orna- 
mental. Thev  are  cut  circular  at  the  bottom  of 
the  skirt,  before  and  behind,  leaving  a  space 
about  twelve  inches  from  to|)  to  bottom  on  e{«ch 
side.  The  lower  portions  of  the  skirt  of  the 
woman's  parka  are  generally  ornamented  with 
white  deeiskin,  land  otter  and  fancy  work  with 
thread  and  dyed  feathers. 

The  finest  parkies,  however,  are  of  fawn 
skin,  and  come  from  Sil)eria.  They  are  richly 
embroidered  on  the  tlesh  side  with  silk,  in 
colors,  and  are  very  expensive,  some  rating 
as  high  as  one  hundred  and  twenty-five  dol- 
lars.    The  conmion  parka,  such  as  is  used  by 


PRODUCTS  OF  THE    YUKON  REG  10 X. 


I8!l 


tlio  ordinary  Eskimos,  and  such  us  wore  pro- 
vided for  the  men  of  tiie  "  Jeannette,"  are 
cijeap,  l)eini»-  made  of  sciuirrel  skins,  witliout 
ornamentation.  They  are  warm,  and  warmth 
is  what  is  required  in  the  Arctic  region.  Tlie 
hocxhid  ))arka  and  the  fancy  deerskin  boots, 
which  com})U;te  the  attire  so  fur  as  visible, 
make  a  jiicturesque  dress,  admira!)Iy  suited 
to  the  climate  and  the  people.  It  is  stated 
tiiat  tlie  women  wear  leathern  pantaloons  be- 
neath this  beautiful  outer  covering. 

For  people,  their  habits  and  customs,  imple- 
ments and  dress ;  for  scenerv  and  climate  at 
this  season  of  the  year ;  for  salmon  and  wild- 
goose  eggs,  and  an  appetite  that  is  backed  by 
digestive  organs  extraordinary,  — this  is  one  of 
the  most  interesting  places  to  which  civilized 
})eople,  sweltering  in  the  great  cities  of  the 
Eastern  States,  could  make  summer  excursions, 
all)eit  somewhat  out  of  the  route  of  palace  cars, 
liut  for  a  permanent  residence  it  cannot  be  com- 
mended. 

There  are  some  half-dozen  whites  here,  and 
they  appear  to  enjoy  life,  but  their  minds  are 
generally  occupied  hy  questions  of  trade,  either 
in  having  it  or  preparing  for  it ;  and,  moreover, 
they  all  look  forward  to  a  time  of  leaving  the 
country  and  returning  to  the  haunts  of  civiliza- 


f 


100 


A    Tliin    TO   ALASKA. 


lion.  Hosidos,  Ihry  wyv.  not  conipleU'ly  exiled, 
as  tliov  <jo  down  to  San  Francisco  on  a  lurloiiiili 
once  in  eveiT  two  or  tliree  years.  'I'he  tliou«rlJt 
of  these;  journeys  huoys  them  up  lufi'ore  they 
♦ro  and  sustains  them  after  tiiev  return.  So 
they  get  tlirougli  life  and  manage  to  keep  them- 
sidvcs  in  flesh. 

St.  Michael's  is  a  good  i)lace  for  the  curiosity 
hunter  to  visit.  The  Indians  uj)  this  way,  with 
feathers  through  their  noses,  their  fanciful  fur 
clothing,  their  skin-hoats,  their  dogs  and  sledges, 
their  ivory-heaih'd  spears  and  arrows,  their 
stone-lami)s  for  hurning  hlubher,  and  a  hun- 
dred other  queer  conunodities,  furnish  a  fertile; 
field  for  the  collection  of  curios.  Mammoth 
tusks  are  more  pk-ntiful  ahout  here  than  forest 
trees,  and  they  may  be  had  cheap  as  firewood. 
Even  stone  axes  are  to  be  obtained  occasionallv, 
though  they  may  be  num])ered  with  the  friction 
fire-producers  —  aniong  implements  now  obso- 
lete. ICverything  of  this  kind,  or  samples  of  all 
such  articles,  are  in  constant  demand  at  that 
great  repository  of  wonders,  the  Smithsonian 
Institute,  which  has  emissaries  in  all  parts  of 
the  country  gathering  cast-ott'  clothing  and 
worn-out    implements   among  savages. 

Of  all  the  cur  ins  from  this  country  the  most 
inexplicaljle  was  found  near  Fort  Yukon  several 


)resl 
uUy, 

)SO- 

)f  all 

that 

)nian 

s  of 

aiul 

Hmost 
Iveral 


I'lionrcrs  or  tiik  yu^ox  HEaioN.      VM 

3Tars  niro.  At  that  time  a  Tanadian  wlio  was 
tlicn  ill  the  rmploy  of  tho  Alaska  Commor.'ial 
Company,  discoverod  a  skull  ahoiit  half  a  milo 
from  tht^  fort,  which  ho  could  not  "identify." 
It  was  apparent ly  from  somo  jinimal  of  tho  bo- 
vine hind,  but  what  particular  species  was  a 
mystery.  IFavinir  s^K'nt  some  years  on  tho 
llppcn*  Missouri  and  on  the  Red  Ixiver  of  tho 
iVorth,  ho  was  familiar  with  the  hullalo,  and  felt 
satisfied  it  could  not  lu^  a  hulfalo  skull  ;  hesido 
bullalos  are  not  found  so  ftir  north  as  Fort 
Yukon,  which  is  within  tho  Arctic  Circle. 

After  puzzling'  his  head  over  the  mystery  for 
months,  ho  sent  tho  skull  down  to  tho  Com- 
pany's office  in  San  Francisco,  with  an  account 
of  where  it  was  found.  There  all  efforts  to 
idontifv  it  failed,  and  it  was  forwarded  to  tho 
Smithsonian,  accompanied  by  a  written  explana- 
tion of  its  discoverv.  The  scientists  of  tho 
Smithsonian,  spent  long  days  and  nights  over  it, 
and  though  they  may  not  admit  tho  fact,  were 
at  a  loss  to  make  a  very  succinct  explanation 
of  the  character  of  the  animal  to  which  it  be- 
longed. It  was  finall}'  i)ronounced  the  head  of 
an  extinct  species  of  elk,  and  exi)erts  at  once 
set  to  work  making  drawings  and  plaster 
models    of  the    extinct   animal. 

About  three  years  ago  the  lucky  fiiider  of  the 


1*  ll 


1112 


A    riilV   T(t   A/,  ASK  A. 


skull  lojinu!<l  tliJit  when  Fort  Yukon  was  sup- 
posed to  1k!  williin  liiitish  Anierifu  the  Hudson 
Bi\y  Coinpnny  inip(»rl('d  ji  l>ull  nnd  ii  cow  to 
that  ])la('o.  The  '»ull  died  and  the  cow  was 
killed  I'or  beet',  havin«^  lieen  latterly  in  a  condi- 
tion of  constant  niourninir  lor  her  dei)arted 
lord  and  there  is  no  loiiirt'r  any  room  for  doul)t 
that  the  skuil  which  [)uzzled  the  Smithsonian 
scientists  was  u  cow's  skull  and  nothin«i:  less.  It 
is  possii>h!  that,  as  soon  as 'the  report  of  this  dis- 
covery becomes  ^.i.'hlic,  the  cow's  skull  may  he 
«rround  up  and  used  as  a  fertilizer  on  the  heau- 
tiful  Smithsonian  grounds,  the  plaster  casts  re- 
duced to  p()wd(!r,  and  the  records  of  the  learned 
debutes  on  the  sul)ject  will  be  innntuliately  de- 
stroyed. The  profeysors  may  then  deny  the 
facts. 

Down  about  Sitka  one  hear  some  very  possi- 
tive  talk  about  "  mines,"  and  this  breaks  out, 
even  up  here,  occasionall}',  but  in  a  subdudd 
way.  There  may  be  gold  up  the  Yukon, 
as  some  peo[)le  affect  to  believe,  but,  if  so,  the 
diir^'inirs  should  be  wonderfullv  rich  to  be  profi- 
table.  In  a  country  where  the  winters  are  of 
eight  months'  duration,  and  where  the  ther- 
mometer indicates  sixty  to  seventy  degrees 
below  zero  for  a  month  at  a  time,  with  forty 
to   tifty  degrees  for  longer  periods,  the  work 


_sJ.' 


I'liOliVL'TS  OF   TIIK    YI'KOS   lihUilOS. 


VX\ 


)SS1- 
t)Ut, 

Icon, 
t\ie 
iroti- 
e  of 
her- 
rees 
brtv 
ork 


dono  in  (lie  smimicr  numllis  oiil""!!!  to  l)o  wt'II 
paid  tbi".  Al  all  I'vniU,  MltlmiiLrli  \\\vyv  liavo 
been  rmiiors  ol'  diufiiiiiirs,  tlnTo  lias  been  no 
reliahh^  iiifoniiatioii  of  iniiics  in  tiii>  <>.\ti'(>in(' 
nortl'tM'u  part  of  our  possessions. 

So  fa  I  as  at  procnl  Uiiowii  this  rcLMon  is  tit 
for  nothiiiLT  but  tlu;  fur  tra<li',  atxl  tliat  will  prob- 
a))ly  ncvor  I'urnisji  protiialjlc  n-tu.  for  many,  if 
any,  niori'  than  those  now  eiiirn^^'d  in  ii.  The 
resources  of  an  a<nieultur;;i  eountr>'  niav  be 
rleveloped,  ami  the  products  increased,  by  rail- 
roads and  steamboats,  by  imJiiii'iation,  and  l)y 
improved  maehinery.  The  fm*  trade  is  such 
that,  the  nion^  it  is  encoura'jed  when  open  to 
coniiM^tition,  the  sooner  it  <leelines  and  becomes 
exhausted.  This  is  on(^  branch  of  trade  whicii 
will  not  cndun^  stinudatini:-.  and  if  ther<'  is 
anvthini,^  of  value  in  the  ^'uUon  reirion,  outside 
of  the  fur  trade,  it  does  not  now  make  any 
demonstration. 

The  Yukon  is  a  wond(M-ful  river,  capable  of 
carry iniLT  «'i  tonna^i'  eciual  to  the  Mississippi,  but 
there  is  notliinir  at  present  trii)utarv  to  it  that 
is  ca})able  of  creatinii"  a  commerce.  Two  stern- 
wheel  steamers  appear  to  be  <-apable  of  satisfy- 
ing the  wants  of  conunerce  upon  the  Yukon  at 
present  and  for  a  lonir  time  to  come.  There 
are  said  to  be  immense  valleys  c*'  bottom  lands 


V 


r 

I 


n 


194 


A   TRIP  TO  ALASKA. 


of  groat  richness  of  soil  along  tlu^  Yukon  and 
on  some  of  its  trihularies,  and  ui)()n  the  Kusko- 
quini,  south  of  the  Yukon  ;  but  the  richest  soil 
is  valueless  if  the  climate  be  such  that  nothiiiir 
for  the  benefit  of  man  will  grow  and  ripen  in  it. 
There  is  no  limber  along  this  northern  coast, 
although  s})ruce  is  al)undant  in  the  Ulterior,  but 
the  value%f  this  cannot  be  appreciated.  Possi- 
bly cattle  might  l)e  raised  here  if  grass  would 
ripen  and  hay  could  l)e  procured  for  Avinter 
foddering,  ])ut  when  live-stock  may  be  raised 
without  this  trouble  and  unavoidable  expense 
of  this  country  several  thousand  miles  nearer  to 
market,  the  advantages  of  Alaska  as  a  i)astoral 
region  can  hardly  be  made  apparent  during  the 
present  century.  Alaska  is  really  of  little  value 
to  our  government  beyond  what  is  derived  from 
the  seal  islands,  rent,  and  tax,  and  the  vague 
bene  tits  from  the  fur  trade  in  ireneral.  liut  the 
coast  miiiht  be  surveved  in  the  interests  of  nav- 
igation,  tliouuh  it  miiiht  take  years  to  make  a 
reliable  chart  of  that  i)()rtion  from  Bristol  Bay 
to  Norton  Sound.  There  might  be  no  protit  in 
it,  but  a  great  nation  ought  to  know  something 
about  its  own  i)ossessi()ns,  and  particularly 
about  its  coasts  and  border  lines;  and  the  navy 
or  some  other  department  could  find  employ- 
ment up  here  in  many  places.    Trolit,  however, 


FROni't'TS  OF  THE    YIKOX  liFJJlhN. 


l\)h 


in  the  way  of  dollars  and  conts,  to  l)o  rotuinod 
at  any  near  day,  should  not  be  looked  for.  If 
the  soundiii'xs  are  ever  made,  it  should  onlv  l>e 
as  a  matter  of  national  pride,  an<l  that  ouirht  to 
be  understood.  They  eould  har^llv  be  of  anv 
value  to  the  people  of  Alaska,  nor  could  they 
do  nuieh  toward  developinir  a  country  which  is 
almost  entirely  without  such  natural  resources 
as  can  be  turned  to  any  aood  account.  AVhile 
upon  this  subject  I  wish  to  make  a  few 
meteoroloiiical  observations  drawn  from  ofli- 
eial  and  unofficial  records.  I  am  aware  that 
there  are  people  interested  in  Alaska  who  main- 
tain that  this  Territorv  is  suited  for  ai»ricul- 
tural  purposes  because  they  honestly  l)elieve  in 
the  country,  and  because  a  few  potatoes  and 
hardier  roots  have  ])een  ijrown  here,  but  in 
exceedingly  limited  quantities.  A  record  of 
the  weather  up  the  Yukon  was  made  at  Fort 
Keliance,  about  latitude  (J")",  loniiitude  142° 
west.  Fort  Keliance,  at  Mhich  ])()int  it  was 
taken  from  a  spirit  thermometer  by  the  trader 
'Mack'*  McQuestin,  wint(M-  of  l<s7S-5),  Is  four 
hundred  and  fifty  miles  by  the  course  of  the 
river  above  Fort  Yukon,  but  not  so  far  to  the 
i)"rthv»'ard,  the  latter  beinci:  just  within  the  Arc- 
tic Circle,  and  the  most  northei'lv  rcixular  trad- 
ing-post  in  any  part  of  the  V  nited  Stales  or  its 


M 


^vt 


,1: 


11)0 


A   TRIP  TO  ALASKA. 


Territories.  As  the  eliniiitc  in  the  interior  is 
pronounced  hiirhlv  satisfnctorv  by  Ahiskan  en- 
thusin.sts,  and  as  several  i)er8ons  declare  the 
l)ossil)ilities  oi'  its  agricultural  products  to  he 
exceeding-ly  i:;reat,  these  liirures  may  he  of 
interest  to  those  seekin<»*  inlorination  concernino* 
the  country. 

The  hiiihest  tenipendure  of  the  year  1878  at 
Fort  Keliance  was  IT  above  zero,  on  ]\Iav  14 
and  September  ll»,  dates  which  miirht  be  called 
the  beirinnini*'  and  end  of  sunnner.  The  lowest 
temjierature  of  the  winter  was  ()0°  below'  on  the 
21st  of  February,  1S7!>.  On  Fe1)ruary  20,  four 
observations,  made  at  I>  a.m.,  12m.,  G  p.m., 
and  9  r.M.,  airij:rei»:ated  200,  an  average  of  50° 
below  zero  for  the  entire  da  v.  The  mean  for 
the  lowest  month  in  that  winter,  February, 
was  25.^°  below ;  the  hiiihest  mean  for  any 
month  was  in  INIav,  ()0°  a1)ove. 

•  On  the  ()th  of  February  the  Ihei'mometer  indi- 
cated  a  rise  of  temperature,  durinii*  a  southwest 
Avind,  from  28°  below  at  7  a.:m.  to  zero  at  noon, 
to  14°  above  at  3  p.:m..  then  down  again  to  18° 
below  al  ')  p.m.,  and  28°  below  at  10  p.m. 
This  was  a  variation  ol*  50°  in  one  day.  At 
Fort  Keliance,  in  the  winter  of  1855-6,  as  is 
alleged  by  one  of  the  traders,  a  two-pound  bot- 
tle of  quicksilver  in  a  cabin  remained  frozen  for 


PRODUCTS   OF   TIIK    Yl'KOS  HEOlON. 


197 


two  weeks.  At  St.  Michael's,  Norton  Sound, 
in  1878,  the  highest  thermometer  was  in  July, 
73°  {ibove,  and  the  lowest  in  February,  -'5° 
below.  The  winter  mean  for  November,  De- 
oeml)er,  Fel)ruary,  and  March,  was  60°  lielow. 
The  summer  mean  for  June,  Juh',  and  August 
was  50°  above.  The  yearly  mean  was  29" 
above. 

The  rainfall  last  year,  including  melted  snow, 
was  but  10.8  inches.  The  highest  velocity  of 
the  wind  per  hour  was  in  August,  74  miles, 
and  the  total  wind  in  that  month  was  11,270 
miles.  The  highest  temperature  at  St.  Michaels 
in  live  vears  was  75°  above ;  lowest,  55°  below. 

It  may  possibly  be  objected  that  the  Yukon 
weather  reports  quoted  above  are  from  an  ex- 
treme northerly  district,  which  is  true ;  but  it 
is  asserted  bv  Alaskan  advocates  that  thoujjh 
the  coast  line  from  Cape  Fox — the  southern  ex- 
tremitv  of  the  Territory  —  to  Sitka  is  too  fojjjrv, 
rainy,  and  swampy,  the  inland  soil  and  climate 
arc  superior.  It  is  not  probable,  however,  that 
the  countrv  immediatciv  ])ack  of  Sitka  is  much 
more  favorable  than  further  to  the  nortliward, 
beins:  of  g-reat  altitude  and  remo^  ed  from  the 
influence  of  sea  currents,  though  undoubtedly 
there  are  some  differences,  perhaps  not  always 
in  favc      .  ttie  Sitka  latitude. 


I* 


f: 


1^ 


I;'', 


198 


A    TRIP  TO  ALASKA. 


As  a,  set-off  for  the  Yukon  {ind  St.  Michael's 
record  T  copy  from  the  log  of  the  "Rush"  th(^ 
weather  record  of  the  Aleutian  Islands  durin*: 
the  month  of  June,  1871).  This  record  was 
written  down  every  four  hours,  or  six  times  a 
day,  from  Ukolonoy,  just  south  of  the  peninsula 
of  Alaska,  to  Onalaska  and  Attou,  within  a  belt 
between  52°  and  55°  10'  north  latitude,  reaching 
briefly  as  high  as  57° — the  fur  seal  islands. 
This  includes  the  entire  scope  of  the  Aleutian 
Archipelago,  which  has  been  recommended  by 
some  persons  who  never  saw  Alaska  as  desira- 
ble for  the  location  of  penal  colonies  —  where 
men  might  agriculturally  earn  their  own  livings 
and  get  themselves  new  family  relations.  Here 
is  the  June  weather  of  the  Aleutian  Islands — 
about  same  latitude  as  Sitka. 


Date 

Thermometer. 

Weather. 

June 

1   .   . 

meau 

1 39     . 

.   .   Foggy. 

2   .   . 

40     . 

.    .   Fog,  squalls 

,  and  rain. 

3   .   . 

39^  . 

(<           <t 

t(       t( 

4  .   .   . 

40     . 

«(           (( 

i(       (( 

•'>   .   . 

39     . 

.   .   Hail  and  snow  squalls. 

6   .  . 

40     . 

.   .    Cloudy  and 

rain  squalls 

7  .   . 

41t   . 

.    .   Squally  and 

rainy. 

8  .   . 

44     . 

.   .   Cloudy     " 

<< 

9   .   . 

41     . 

.   .   Fog 

(i 

10   .   . 

40     . 

.   .   Squally    " 

it 

11   .   . 

41     . 

.   .   Breezy     " 

it 

12  .  . 

38     . 

.   .   Squalls,  sleet,  and  rain 

PRODUCTS   OF   THE   YUKON  REGION. 


109 


Date. 

Thermoniotor. 

Weather. 

June  13  .   . 

mean  36     .    . 

.   Squalls,  .'<leot,  antl  rain 

•    14  .   . 

"     39§    . 

.   IJ^ht  bi-eezo,  clear. 

'    15  .   . 

"     37     . 

.   Frecjuent  snow  scjualls. 

'    16  .   . 

"     38     .   . 

.    Calm,  but  overcast. 

'     17   .   . 

"     39     . 

.   hUrht  airs,  overca.st. 

*     18   .   . 

"     38     .   . 

.    Misty,  overcast. 

'     19   .   . 

"     43     .   . 

.    Foggy,  squally,  ihick. 

•    20  .   .   . 

"     40^   .   . 

.    Heavy  squalls,  thick. 

'     21    .   . 

"     39f   . 

.   Thick,  rainy,  squalls. 

'     22   .   . 

"     39     . 

.   .        "      and  rainy. 

'    23   .   . 

"     42     . 

>k        «(       t< 

'     24   .   . 

"     40J   .   . 

.  Changeable,  with  rain. 

'    25   .   . 

'•     42     .   . 

.   Partly  clear. 

'    26   .   . 

"     :59i   . 

.   Overcast. 

'     27   .   . 

*  m  ■ 

.   Partly  clear. 

'    28   .   . 

"  m  ■ 

.    Overcast. 

'    29   .   . 

.       "     39     . 

.   Foggy  and  misty. 

•    30   .   . 

.       "     46i  . 

.   Partly  clear. 

ii 


CHAPTER  XX. 

THE  SUMMER  CROP  OF  SEALS. 

/^N  the  afternoon  of  July  23,  the  "Rush" 
^  steamed  out  from  St.  Michael's  and  affain 
headed  for  the  fur-seal  island  of  St.  Paul. 
Morton  Sound  Avas  as  sniootli  as  a  mill-pond, 
and  Behring  Sea  shoAved  only  a  sliirht  ripple, 
called  up  by  a  soft,  western  breeze. 

The  water  along  the  coast  from  Norton 
Sound  down  to  the  moutii  of  the  Kuskoquim 
is  so  shoal  that  it  is  danaerous  for  a  ship  to 
attempt  the  passage,  in  places,  within  ten  miles 
of  land.  Going  southward  till  the  island  of 
Nunivak  was  abeam,  the  ''Rush'  was  stopped 
once  every  hour  for  soundings,  a  result  of 
Avhich  was  that,  out  of  sight  of  the  land,  the 
water  was  found  only  deep  enough  for  a  good 
anchorasje.  The  mouths  of  the  Yukon  have 
been  depositing  sand  along  the  eastern  shore 
of  this  portion  of  Behring  Sea  to  such  an  ex- 
tent that  it  is  now  regarded  by  all  navigators  in 
these  waters  as  particularly   dangerous.      An- 

200 


THE  Sl'MMKU   (Unr   OF  SKALS. 


201 


other  elcmont  of  (l{inL'"or  is  found  in  tlio  fjict 
thjit  tho  coast  line,  as  ap})eiii'.s  from  froquont 
and  relial)lo  observations  1)V  such  naviirators 
as  are  oonipellcd  to  conic  this  way,  is  set 
a})out  ten  miles  too  far  to  the  eastward,  on 
all  the  charts.  The  entire  coast  from  Nuni- 
vak,  at  least,  to  Norton  Sound,  ouniit  to  l)e 
surveyed,  and  soundings  taken,  so  as  to  alfor<l 
reliable  information,  Mhere  at  present  too  much 
is  left  to  conjecture. 

AVe  experienced  the  brightest  and  most  de- 
lightful weather  from  St.  Michael's  till  the 
morninir  of  the  26th,  when  a  thick  foi>*  shut 
down,  so  that  no  observation  of  our  ])osition 
could  be  had.  We  were  headed  for  St.  Paul's, 
and  by  noon  had  run  our  distance  out  ;  but  th(» 
weather  was  so  thick  it  was  impossible  to  know 
whether  we  were  to  the  eastward  or  the  west- 
ward of  the  land  we  wanted  to  make.  In  these 
waters,  currents  are  continuallv  settinir  vessels 
out  of  their  courses,  which  is  not  so  serious  a 
matter  wh^n  observ.itions  can  be  taken  daily 
and  corrections  made  by  the  way  ;  but  when  a 
vessel  is  run  for  days  l)y  compass  and  dead 
reckoning  only,  the  currents  sometimes  play 
sad  havoc  with  the  calculations,  and  a  ship 
mav  be  tiftv  or  sixtv  miles  out  of  position 
without  anybody  being  blameable. 


I  4J 


202 


A    Tin  I'   TO  ALASKA. 


Tlio  CoiT  Jiround  tlio  Sojil  Ir^laiuls  is  peculiar 
ill  some  I'ospocls.  Tlio  sun  may  be  shining 
overhead  all  day,  so  that  tho  weather  appears 
U)  he  always  at  the  clearing-up  point,  hut  the 
i'learinii'  does  not  take  place.  The  foa"  hanti^s 
low  and  Ihiek  all  around,  so  as  to  cut  o\\  the 
line  of  vision  not  more  than  a  shi})-lenirth  away, 
even  while  the  sun  is  smiling  u})on  tlu^  anxious 
navigator.  The  fog  is  of  such  a  thick,  creamy 
(consistency,  that  it  wraps  itself  around  the  rig- 
ging, linally  stretching  down  and  dropping  otf 
like  molasses.  The  man  on  the  forecastle,  offi- 
cers in  charge  of  the  deck,  and  the  captain,  try 
to  look  through  it  until  their  eyes  are  as  red  as 
if  they  had  been  half  roasted.  Having  run  the 
distance,  according  to  dead  reckoning,  about 
noon  on  the  2()th,  the  "Rush"  was  slowed  down 
to  the  consumption  of  one  bucket  of  coal  per 
hour,  and  we  be<?an  cautiously  feelinif  for  the 
island.  The  course  is  altered  to  the  eastward, 
and  soundings  are  taken  every  half-hour.  They 
commence  at  19  fathoms  and  gradually  run  up 
to  20,  22,  25,  30  and  35.  The  charts  do  not 
give  any  soundings  about  St.  Paul's,  and  if  we 
had  ])een  near  the  land  we  must  now  be  ffettinff 
away  from  it. 

The  soundings  being  unsatisfactory,  the  course 
is  changed,  and  we  go  slowly  feeling  our  way 


THE  SUMMER   ('HOP   Oh'  SEALS. 


2():\ 


on  31  norllicrn  f.'ick.  Tlio  cnptaiii  requests  those 
on  th(^  "house"  with  him  to  keep  tlieir  weather- 
nostril  open  for  a  sniff  of  the  seal  whieh  at  this 
season  is  very  ])r()nouncc(l,  luit  neitiier  smellinir 
nor  seeiui^  is  ahle  to  reveal  th(.'  lan<J.  The  vessel 
is  laid  on  a  course  of  north-northeast,  and  look- 
iuir  sukI  snilling  continues,  hut  without  results. 
In  this  manner  the  afti'rnoon  })asses,  and  after 
supper  we  tind  ourselves  still  huntini»"  for  the 
land,  which  we  know  is  somewhere  stuck  awa}' 
in  that  thick  foir. 

It  i)ei»ins  to  look  as  if  we  were  doomed  to 
make  a  night  of  it,  when  the  cai)tain  and  pilot, 
^vho  have  been  leaning  upon  the  })ilot-house, 
crawl  up  in  a  nervous  sort  of  way,  trying  to 
make  somethin<2:  out  of  a  sliii'htlv  denser  line 
than  the  <>reat  bulk  of  the  foo".  The  irregular 
outline,  as  of  hills  here  and  there,  give  it  an 
appearance  of  land,  and  as  the  helm  is  [)ut 
a-port  and  the  "  Rush  "  comes  around  to  get  the 
wind  abeam,  it  is  pronounced  land,  sure  enough, 
and  an  odor  as  of  old  rain-water  in  a  cistern 
comes  aboard,  succeeded  by  a  stronger  smell, 
and,  as  the  land  is  neared,  the  outlines  and 
smell  become  more  distinct,  the  l)ellowing  of 
bull  seals  is  heard,  the  blaating  of  the  cows 
mingles  with  the  roar;  the  "  ow,  ow  !  "  of  the 
pups  can  be  distinguished,  and,  with  the  sounds 


Ml 

ii 

m 


'ky. 
■it 


204 


A    TKir   TO   ALASKA. 


of  a  maininotli  fjittlc-sliow,  with  the;  odors  of  a 
poultry  cxhil)iti()n,  inu«ji:niri('(l  to  tho  (),IJi^oth  dc- 
<jfree,3'ou  have  a  fur-seal  rookery  on  your  weather 
heam  late  in  July.  The  noise  ceases  not  h}'  day 
nor  by  night,  and  the  smell  is  something  never 
to  be  forgotten.  There  may  be  other  odors  like 
it,  but  there  is  nothing  and  no  plaee  that  has  so 
much  of  it,  for,  in  addition  to  the  millions  of 
seals  living  ui)on  one  island  at  this  time,  there 
are  the  carcasses  of  7r),(MI()  killed,  Avliich,  divested 
of  their  skins,  for  fashion,  now  lie  decomi)()sing 
upon  the  ground.  There  would  be  J^(),(J0O  car- 
casses, but  some  of  them  have  been  eaten  by 
the  natives. 

AVhcn  we  sailed  from  St.  Paul's  on  the  14th  of 
♦June,  10, f)')?  seals  had  been  killed  for  the  year's 
take.  On  the  KJth  of  July  the  killing  of  the 
^0,000  was  completed,  and  on  the  same  day 
the  last  of  St.  George's  cjuota  of  20,000  were 
laid  low.  This  was  the  (juickest  work  and 
earliest  close  for  a  full  allowance  ever  known  to 
this  seal-killing  since  the  present  lessees  have 
IxH'u  in  possession.  It  was  extremely  fortu- 
nate for  the  company  that  the  work  was  done 
so  rapidly,  for  there  has  been  a  hot,  dry  spell 
since,  which  drove  even  the  old  bulls  into  the 
water,  and  which  would  prevent  driving  at  this 
time. 


•JirtT^- 


THE  SVMMKH  CHOP  OF  SEALS. 


20.') 


On  our  iii'iival  here  Dr.  While,  surgeon  of 
the  "liush,"  l)eini»:  desirous  of  sludvinK  seal 
anatomy,  made  a  teu^porary  exehango  of  posi- 
tion with  Dr.  Keli\',  the  physician  on  the 
island,  l)y  which  the  latter  took  charge  of  the 
steamer's  sick  roll,  not  an  alarming  one,  while 
the  former  i)hysieked  the  islanders  and  dis- 
sected seals  for  a  few  weeks.  As  Captain 
Bailey  was  anxious  to  get  down  to  Onalaska 
for  coal  and  water,  this  writer  also  parted  com- 
pany Avith  the  "  Hush,"  remaining  to  see  more 
of  the  seals,  and  to  go  down  on  the  steamer 
"St.  Paul."  We  enjoyed  a  great  deal  of  fur- 
seal  society,  varied  hy  vain  efforts  to  get  at  the 
sea-bird's  nests  on  the  cliffs,  and  yelped  at  by 
impudent  foxes. 

It  is  a  humiliating  thing  to  have  a  fox  stand 
off  about  ten  rods  and  bark  at  you,  or  follow 
you  around,  smelling  at  yoiu*  heels :,  '  ut  they 
will  do  it  here.  Foxes  here  are  plentiful 
and  fat  and  saucy  at  this  time  of  year.  They 
can  always  get  plenty  of  seal  meat  during  the 
summer  and  autunm.  In  the  spring  they  eat 
eggs  and  sea-fowl,  but  in  the  winter  they  fall 
into  traps  and  lose  their  valuable  skins.  Going 
out  along  the  bluffs  here,  fox-trails  may  be  seen 
leading  in  the  direction  of  the  places  where  the 
sea-birds  deposit  their  «3ggs,  but  the  birds  seem 


2(h; 


A    TlilP   T(t  ALASKA. 


(o  know  Just  how  fur  ji  fox  or  ji  man  can  «^o 
al()n<j;,  or  up,  or  down  tlu?  face;  of  the  clifi's,  for 
they  tako  up  positions  in  most  unaccivssihlc 
])la('t;s,  from  whicli  tlicy  «j:aze  at  the  would-hc 
intruder  witli  tliat  eahn  demeanor  onl)'  accjuired 
by  contidenee  in  moral  reetitude  or  i)hyaiieal 
security. 

These  sea-hirds  hiv  on  a  shelf  of  rock  so 
narrow  that  they  cannot  sit,  but  nuist  stand, 
while  settinii",  Avith  neck  stretched  up  the  face 
of  the  wall  in  front  of  them,  and  there  thev 
remain  for  weeks,  counting  the  possible  chicks 
from  one  <j:rcen  and  white  mottled  enfir.  Thc^v 
tjuard  it  as  carefullv  as  ihoujrh  it  contained  a 
future  president  of  the  United  States.  From 
the  top  of  the  blutfthc  sea-birds  may  be  robbed 
by  a  reckless  man  let  down  with  a  r()})e  ;  but 
from  the  bottom  or  the  side  ai^proach  they  are 
safe,  no  matter  how  easy  the  way  and  accessi- 
ble the  position  may  appear  at  a  few  paces 
distant.  We  tried  it  ai>ain  and  ajjain,  till  the 
doctor  had  to  ])e  hauled  a  few  times,  out  of 
places  from  Avhich  he  could  not  extricate  him- 
self, after  which  he  came  to  the  conclusion 
that  it  "vvas  too  late  in  the  season  for  a  white 
man  to  rob  bird's  nests,  so  he  hired  some  of  the 
natives  to  do  it. 

The  foxes,  however,  probably  understand  the 


TIIK  SVMMKli  rROP  OF  SKALS. 


207 


are 
jssi- 
liiccs 

the 
of 
liiiii- 

>i()n 
Ihito 

the 

the 


ncst-r()I)i)inij  Imsincss  hcttcr,  and  no  <l()iii>t  they 
<rot  ocrasional  ejrjJfs  in  various  stai^es  of  IikuIki- 
tion  for  I)rL'akfast,  and  have  many  ji  spring 
puffin,  niuire,  or  ixull  lor  diiuier.  The  mainstay 
of  the  foxes  for  fresh  meat  in  th(^  summer,  liow- 
ever,  is  pup  seal,  youni>:  and  tender,  hcin*^  milk 
nurtured  and  (|uit(;  vealy  in  eharaeter.  On  St. 
(feorge's,  where  foxes  are  more  numerous  than 
on  St.  Paul's,  half  a  dozen  of  them  will  get 
around  a  yearling  seal  and  drive  him  l)ack  to 
where  they  want  him,  so  as  to  save  the  trouhlo 
of  carrying  the  meat  after  killing.  The  St. 
Georiije's  foxes  miirht  eat  (h'ied  seal  meat  all 
winter,  if  they  were  provident  as  they  are  bold 
and  cunninif. 

The  bull  seals  are  not  so  ajrsressive  in  the 
latter  part  of  July  as  about  the  tirst  of  June. 
Early  in  the  season,  on  the  approach  of  a  man, 
they  roar  and  rush  at  him,  holding  ground  for 
their  expected  iamilies.  Xow,  on  being  ap- 
proached by  searchers  after  scientific  informa- 
tion, they  roar  and  run  awa\',  scrambling  over 
the  pups  regardless  of  results,  and  leaving  the 
mothers  to  follow  as  fast  as  they  can,  whicH 
tine  instinct  they  rapidl}'  obey,  and  the  little 
black  lumps  of  pups  crowd  together,  turn  up 
their  pug  noses  and  bleat  to  the  best  of  their 
extraordinar}'  ability. 


208 


A   TRIP   TO  ALASKA. 


The  toughness  of  the  pups  is  astonishing. 
The  patriarch  weighing  six  hundred  pounds 
flops  and  tumbles  over  a  mass  meeting  of  pups, 
like  a  runaway  cart  going  through  a  primary 
picnic ;  and  after  the  event  the  youngsters  pull 
themselves  together,  dig  the  sand  out  of  their 
mouths,  eyes,  and  nostrils,  and,  finding  no])ody 
hurt,  all  begin  to  bawl.  An  old  bull  seal  has 
no  more  regard  for  ten  or  twenty  pups  than  the 
devil  has  for  a  j)enny  box  of  matches.  In  the 
spring,  when  the  patriarch  is  alone,  he  feeds 
his  imagination  Avith  fancy  pictures  of  family 
delights,  the  larger  the  family  the  better ;  and 
then  he  is  ready  to  fight  for  his  rights ;  but 
after  a  few  weeks'  experience  with  a  large 
harem  and  a  nursery  of  corresponding  dimen- 
sions to  look  to  day  and  night,  the  old  felk)w 
becomes  nervous  and  is  more  inclined  to  flv 
than  to  shed  the  blood  of  man.  At  this  season 
a  sheep  may  put  an  entire  rookery  to  rout. 

Fog  is  indispensable  to  seal  comfort  on  the 
rookeries  and  haulinij-ijrounds,  but  of  course 
the  fog  lifts  at  times,  and  then  the  seals  seek 
t^e  soothing  influence  of  sea  bathinfj.  Though 
the  fog  of  this  region  is  thick  as  molasses,  it 
can  come  and  go  in  a  minute.  From  clear, 
bright  skies  and  a  horizon  at  the  farthest  possi- 
ble extremity,  it  changes  to  an  obscurity  that 


THE  SUMMER  ('HOP   OF  SEALS. 


209 


the 
liirse 
iscek 
l)UgU 
js,  it 
lear, 
lossi- 
that 


shuts  out  the  view  of  a  man's  own  noso,  and 
another  lJiilitnini»-  ciiauiie  hritijrs  back  the  sun. 

On  the  (lav  after  our  return  i<:>  the  ishuul,  the 
steamer  "8t.  Paul"  started  to  £o  around  from 
the  eastern  to  the  western  anchoraire  to  take  on 
sealskins.  The  distance  is  aljout  three  miles. 
The  atmosphere  was  ch'ar  when  she  g*ot  under 
way  at  seven  o'clock  in  the  morning,  but  before 
she  rounded  the  point,  a  (|uarter  of  an  hour 
later,  the  fog  fell  und  the  huid  was  shut  out  from 
view.  She  should  have  been  at  anchor  within 
half  an  hour  after  getting  under  way,  but  she 
did  not  come  in  on  time,  and  the  steam-launch 
went  out  alons:  shore  lookin""  for  her.  The 
"St.  Paul"  blew  a  whistle  a  mile  away,  the 
launch  answered  ;  and  the  big  steamship  and 
the  little  launch  were  blowinir  and  whistlini^r, 
and  hunting  for  each  other  till  two  in  the  after- 
noon, when  the  smaller  found  the  larger  and  led 
her  jn  so  close  fhat  the  top  of  the  lilutfs  hung 
almost  overhead  before  the  land  was  seen  and 
the  anchor  let  i?o.  Yet  the  steamer  was  never 
a  mile  fiom  the  land  during  that  live  or  six 
hours  of  prosj)ecting. 

When  the  foij  lifts  and  tiie  sun  shines,  the  fur 
seals  take  to  the  water.  This  is  one  of  the  most 
interescin«r  occasions  for  watchinir  thein.  First 
the   young    bachelors,    which    occu})y  hauling 


210 


J    TRIP  TO  ALASKA. 


I  is 'I 


1;'  {  '^ 


i.ij 


ijrounds  ronvoniont  to  the  hrcodiiiir  rookeries, 
iTO  out  —  free  Jind  t'oot-Ioosc  va<»:il)Oii(ls  tliatthev 
are  —  haviiiir  no  faiiiilv  cares  to  "mtertere  witii 
perfect  comfort,  so  far  as  [)erfect  iii(lej)endence 
iifoes.  They  dive  into  the  water  and  s[)rinir  out 
of  it,  they  twist  and  turn  and  roll  and  douhle 
up  and  straighten  out,  float  upon  tluur  hacks, 
scratch  their  ears  with  their  hind  flippers,  ruh 
their  .  oses  with  their  fore  flippers,  and  have  a 
thorough  wash,  getting  the  sand  out  of  their  fur, 
cooling  off,  and  making  themselves  quite  com- 
fortable. They  enjoy  their  bathing  and  take 
plenty  of  it  when  once  in  the  water,  having 
nothins:  else  to  do. 

As  the  heat  increases  the  females  beg  off  from 
their  lc»i'ds  and  masters,  anc  by  ones  and  twos 
they  get  away  generally  at  this  time,  leaving  the 
pups  behind.  But  even  when  they  are  (^v^y  six 
weeks  old  the  ^'oung  ones  are  also  driven  down 
to  the  water  on  hot  days,  and  they  rapidly 
learn  to  swim.  AVhen  the  thermometer  went 
up  to  flfty-eight  in  the  shade,  even  the  old  bulls 
relaxed  somewhat  of  their  rigid  rules,  and  went 
swimminii'  also,  show  ins:  how  weak  even  a  patri- 
archal  seal  may  be  during  dog-days.  When 
the  seals  are  all  in  the  water  it  has  the  appear- 
ance of  being  absolutely  thickened  l)y  them. 
They  twist,  tumble,  and  turn  in  every  direction. 


THE  SJiMMKK   CROP   OF  SEALS. 


211 


the 

six 
llown 
)idly 
went 
bulls 
went 
pjitri- 
A'hen 
ipeav- 

heni. 

'tion, 


tlioiisnnds  upon  thousands  of  hoiids  and  flippers 
b(Mn£»:  visible  alonsr  the  bays  for  nudes  in  lenirth, 
and  cxtendinjr  outward  till  heads  and  flippers 
become  mere  specks.  At  times  a  fleet  of  them 
will  swim  away  in  line,  their  noses  alone  being 
visible  in  Ions;  rows.  Then  they  start  off  as 
if  possessed  by  demons,  forcinir  themselves  out 
clear  of  the  water,  and  disappearing,  to  break 
forth  again  under  and  over  in  a  lively  chase, 
indicating  wonderful  strength  and  powers  of 
endurance. 

Being  slightly  cooled  and  refreshed,  the  bulls 
are  the  first  to  land  again,  reminded,  perhaps, 
of  home  affairs  and  the  uncertainty  of  domestic 
relations  in  the  seid  kingdom.  They  hnsten  to 
the  beach,  and,  taking  a  hurried  look  around, 
set  up  a  roar,  and,  without  paying  the  slightest 
attention  to  the  pups,  await  the  arrival  of  the 
partners  of  their  rocky  homesteads.  The  "  cows," 
reminded  of  their  progeny,  come  out  next  and 
proceed  to  find  the  young.  Each  cow  seems 
to  have  a  diflerent  tone  to  her  snarling,  and  as 
she  goes  peering  into  every  group  of  pups  the 
youngsters  toddle  out  and  greet  her,  willing  to 
accept  nourishment  from  any  mother  that  will 
offer  it ;  but  thouirh  the  vounir  all  look  alike, 
beingf  of  the  same  asfe,  color,  and  condition,  the 
dams  know,  or  think  they  know,  their  own,  and 


212 


A    TRIV    TO  ALASKA. 


if? 


*  - 


11 


pick  them  out  from  hundreds  of  other  clamorous 
applicants.  Either  the  cows  always  know  their 
own  by  their  smell,  or.  like  irentlemcnat  a  party 
with  their  um])rellas,  each  one  takes  what  is 
believed  to  be  the  best,  leaving  the  worst  to  the 
latest. 


I 


CHAPTER  XXI. 


ALEUT   COURTSHIP   AND   MARRIAGE. 


J. 

: 


/^N  the  30th  of  July  the  steamer  "  St.  Paul" 
^-^  sailed  out  of  the  foo^  surroundinir  the  island 
which  bears  the  same  name  as  herself,  having  on 
board  a  cargo  valued  at  more  than  a  million  dol- 
lars, for  San  Francisco.  Tn  addition  to  the  seal- 
skins, she  had  in  her  hold  last  winter's  take  of 
land  furs  for  the  Alaska  Commercial  Company 
from  the  Yukon  district.  The  latter,  along  with 
a  hundred  barrels  of  seal  meat  and  a  large  quan- 
titv  of  oil,  were  discharired  at  Oniuaska,  where 
we  arrived  on  the  Ist  of  Auijust,  havini?  been 
fog-bound  outside  for  halt' a  day.  Every  year 
the  company  brings  down  a  large  amount  of  seal 
meat,  which  is  distril)uted  gratuitously  among 
the  Onalaska  people,  along  with  seal  oil,  which 
is  almost  indispensable  among  these  people  for 
food.  The  oil  is  a  real  luxury,  and  is  used 
liberally,  when  available,  to  soften  their  dried 
fish.      When  the   large    casks,    containing  two 

hundred  and  tifty  gallons  of  oil  each,  were  rolled 

213 


('}-i'h 


If    .  . 
14    \  -i 


m. 


m. 


214 


,/     riiir    To   ALASKA. 


up  the  wharf  here,  to  be  pumped  into  biirrels 
for  distribution,  the  tricklings  from  the  pumj) 
were  scooped  ui>  on  Aleut  ringers  and  sipped 
into  Aleut  mouths,  as  the  gamini^  on  wharves  in 
the  East  suck  the  syrup  that  leaks  from  barrels 
of  saccharine  sweets.  But  seal  meat  and  oil 
were  not  the  only  important  shipments  by  the 
steamer  "  St.  Paul "  from  the  seal  islands  to  On- 
alaska.  There  came  down  twenty  Onalaska 
men  who  had  l)een  taken  up  last  spring  as  lal)or- 
ers,  and  as  Onalaska  Aleuts  are  not  so  rich  as 
those  of  the  seal  islands,  their  return  with  their 
earnings  made  ({uite  an  important  event  for  this 
community.  Yet  tins  was  not  all  that  contrib- 
uted to  the  importance  of  the  occasion.  The 
steamer  broui^ht  down  four  vouns:  men  from  St. 
George's,  and  five  from  St.  Paul's,  looking  for 
wives.  It  should  be  known  that  the  fur-seal 
islanders  are  the  creme  de  In  crenie  of  Aleut 
society.  They  earn  more  money  and  live 
better  than  any  other  Aleuts,  and  naturally 
they  become  fascinating  fellows  as  soon  as  they 
land  among  the  maidens  of  Onalaska. 

Of  course  there  are  vounff  women  who  desire 
to  marry  on  the  fur-seal  islands,  but  the  church 
will  not  permit  marriages  within  the  degree  of 
third-cousin  consanguinity,  and,  what  makes  the 
matter  more  oppressive,  a  relationship  equally 


ALKIJT  COVliTSlllP   AM)   MARRIAGE. 


215 


.MimoviniT  is  nuniiifjictiinHl  at  the  bjiptisiiuil  font. 
An  Aleut  may  not  marry  the  son  or  dauirhter, 
nor  niece,  nor  ne})liew,  nor  any  relation  within 
tlie  seventh  (leij:ree  of  his  or  her  ii^odfather  or 
ii()(hnother.  This  is  tlie  solemn  truth,  and  al- 
though peopU)  ought  to  he  glad  to  have  relations, 
when  thev  are  rich,  there  is  such  a  thinsf  as  hav- 
ing  too  many  when  they  are  [)oor.  There  is 
now  on  St.  Georije's  a  marriai^eahle  youni:: 
Moman,  unexce[)tional  from  an  Aleut  point  of 
view,  who  is  so  related  by  ties  of  consanmiinity 
with  what  we  wouhl  call  remote  cousins,  and  so 
hewilderingly  connected  by  baptism  with  god- 
fathers and  irodmothers  and  their  relations,  that 
she  cannot  marry  upon  the  island,  although  there 
are  plenty  of  young  men  there  who  need  wives, 
and  who  would  like  to  have  her.  She  irot  her 
temper  up  about 'it,  and  said  she  would  never 
marry  off  the  island,  which  is  a  noble  sort  of 
self-sacritice  highly  worthy  of  admiration.  AVhen 
the  seal  islanders  come  down  to  Onalaska  they 
lay  siege  to  all  the  marriageable  women  in  the 
settlement,  and  marriages  beijin  at  once.  Those 
who  cannot  <>et  wives  here  —  and  some  such 
cases  are  reported  —  ask  the  Company  to  fur- 
nish them  free  transportation  "  out  A\'est "  to 
Atka,  three  hundred  miles  away.  At  the  same 
time  there  is  a  surplus  of  female  population  on  * 


216 


A   TRIP   TO    ALASKA. 


lit) 


the  fur-seal  islands  who  won't  marry  anybody 
hut  a  fur-sealer,  })ecause  they  have  been  brought 
up  in  an  aristocratic  Avay  in  frame  cottages,  and 
I^rovided  with  wardrobes  which  enable  them  to 
change  dresses  seven  times  a  (hiy.  Such  are  the 
advantages  and  disadvantages  of  female  educa- 
tion amon<»'  the  fur-sealers. 

There  is  not  much  of  the  spooney  business  in 
Aleut  courtship.  Tiie  stejuner  landed  the  wife- 
hunting  seal-skinners  on  Friday.  On  Saturday 
one  of  them  Avas  asked,  "  Are  you  married  yet  ?  " 
"Not  yet,  but  I  shall  be  to-morrow."  "Who 
are  you  going  to  marry  ?  "     "I  don't  know  yet." 

On  Sunday,  two  days  after  the  arrival  of  the 
wife  hunters,  three  of  them  were  married,  two 
couples  at  one  time  and  one  at  another.  Tlie 
three  couples  would  have  been  executed  together 
but  there  were  only  four  crowns  among  the 
church  properties.  Crowns  and  candles  are 
indispensable  at  these  weddings.  AVhen  mar- 
rying a  couple,  the  priest  appears  in  full 
vestments,  with  the  tall,  slightly  tapering 
coffee-pot-shaped  velvet  hat ;  and  a  choir 
of  male  voices  chant  nasal  responses  to  tho 
long  service  read  by  his  reverence.  The  cou- 
ples to  be  married  are  stood  up  in  a  row,  the 
first  step  being  to  place  a  lighted  candle,  deco- 
rated with  a  crimson  bow,  in  each  hand.     Then 


ALKIT  UOUirr.sJUl'   AMi   MAUHIAGK. 


217 


the  reading  commences,  and  continues  till  the 
priest  shows  signs  of  fatigue,  wlieu  the  allctul- 
ant  brum's  out  blessed  rin<»s  on  a  blessed  tray, 
and  each  one  puts  on  his  or  her  ring,  taken  at 
random  from  the  tray,  man  and  woman  being 
treated  alike  in  this  respect.  After  the  rings 
there  is  more  reading,  with  responses  from  the 
nasal  choir ;  and  when  the  priest  becomes  ex- 
hausted again  the  blessed  crowns  are  l)r()Ught 
out.  On  this  occasion  there  were  four  crowns, — 
two  which  were  old  and  lustreless,  and  two  which 
were  not  only  new,  ])ut  l)rilliant  with  rubies, 
emeralds,  and  diamonds,  or  what  looked  like 
them,  and  answered  every  purpose  just  as  well. 
There  stood  the  two  couples,  like  the  kings  and 
queens  of  a  chessboard,  with  crowns  u[)on  heads 
which  did  not  tit  them. 

Of  the  tw^o  couples  in  this  case  one  bride,  of 
a  Russian  appearance,  was  dressed  in  a  light  silk 
with  u  purple  stripe  ;  she  nad  a  blue  bow  at  her 
throat,  and  a  pink  sash  around  her  waist.  Her 
hair  had  been  braided  damp  over  night,  and 
hung  in  waves  down  her  shoulders.  Her  eyes 
were  downcast  constantly  during  tiie  ceremony, 
and  her  nose,  long  and  straight,  pointed  sharply 
toward  the  floor  in  an  ominous  manner.  She 
wore  a  cynical  sort  of  smile,  like  that  of  an  ex- 
perienced circuit  preacher  when  he  knows  that 


!! 


218 


A    TRIP    TO   ALASKA. 


tli(!  other  hrothor  is  <?cttinir  iiothinjj  the  hotter 
of  hill)  ill  llic  pending  horse-trade.  The  crown 
whicli  the  groom  of  this  coii})le  wore  was  much 
too  sniMll  for  him,  being  a  great,  large-headed 
fcMow  with  a  tiiick  neck,  high  cheek  })ones,  and 
a  twenty-pound  fist,  so  tliat  when  he  sliould 
have  howed  lie  dared  not,  knowing  that  if  lie 
jdtemi)ti'd  it  his  crown  would  tumhle  to  the  floor. 
On  the  other  hand  the  bride's  crown  was  alto- 
gether too  large  for  her,  and,  wearing  her  abun- 
dant hair  down  her  bac^k  on  that  dav  only  ""ave 
the  crown  a  greater  chance  to  settle.  If  she 
had  worn  it  in  a  coil  on  the  back  of  her  head,  or 
in  a  braid  clubbed  up  behind,  or  in  a  pad  on  top 
d  la  pompadour^  or  en  chir/noii,  or  watteau,  or 
in  any  of  the  thousand  and  one  styles  known  to 
modern  capillary  engineering,  the  crown  might 
have  been  stayed  in  some  sort  of  a  genteel  posi- 
tion. But  it  settled  down  too  far  at  first,  and 
every  time  she  bowed  in  response  tc  the  words 
read  by  the  })riest,  and  every  time  she  nodded 
in  reply  to  the  questions,  if  she  would  obey, 
&c.,  with  the  hardly-ever  smile  upon  her  re- 
signed face,  the  crown  sunk  lower  and  lower 
till  it  got  down  over  her  ears ;  and  when  the 
priest  led  the  couple,  hand  in  hand,  three 
times  around  the  little  stand  that  served  as  an 
altar   on    this    occasion,    she    looked   like   the 


ALKUr  rttVUrslUr   and   StAliUIAdE. 


2U) 


)0S1- 

tind 
lords 
Lded 
|bey, 
re- 
)wer 
the 
three 
IS  an 
the 


most  silmndonod  (U'entiiro  in  the  world,  and  ns 
it"  she  did  not  cafe  who  kncMv  it.  Ot*  ("oursc 
the  etioct  was  alT  due  to  the  crown  coniinn" 
down  ov(^r  her  ears  and  to  llic  Mcphistopliclcan 
smile  upon  her  countiuiance.  which  d(H'})ened  as 
tlie  crown  descended,  hut  it  was  enouu^h  to  scare 
all  thouirht  of  UJarrvinu:  in  Onalaska  out  of  the 
iiead  of  any  retlectinif  man. 

The  other  l)ride  was  a  Japanes(;-looking  Aleut, 
black  hair,  narrow,  slanting  eyes,  and  in  person 
short  and  stout.  She  wore  a  «»ini»ham  dress, 
and  was  not  only  very  })lain,  but  evidently  not 
a  person  of  hii^h  standing  in  society,  in  conse- 
(juence  of  which  she  attracted  little  attention, 
but  she  was  married  as  nmch  as  any  of  them. 
The  third  couple  were  joined  similarly  soon 
after,  and  next  day  the  three  seal-skinnei's  paid 
live  dollars  each  for  the  candles  which  had 
liahted  them  into  the  promising  state  of  matri- 
mony. 

About  the  nicest-looking  lot  of  Aleut  women 
we  saw  on  this  cruise  in  Alaska  were  at  Kyska 
for  the  summer,  belonjjinu;,  when  at  home,  in 
Atka^  and  being  at  the  time  away  with  tlu;  otter 
hunters ;  and  if  the  St.  Paul  and  St.  George 
fellows,  could  get  among  them,  no  doubt  they 
would  marry  and  return  home  with  wives  that 
would  breed  the  most  delightful  jealousies  and 


220 


A    TRIP   TO  ALASJCA. 


discords  :iinon<x  th(^  matrons  of  tho  fur-seal 
islands,  wlio  an^  vorv  jiroud,  considcrin<r  thorn- 
selves  tho  ^lite  of  Alaska  society,  but  who  are 
not  all  so  ^ood-lookinir  as  those  of  Atka ;  and 
that  fact  would  place  ihcin  at  a  decided  disad- 
vantage in  the  men's  opinion,  for  u  great  many 
of  t'lose  fellows  appear  to  he  sufficiently  civil- 
ized to  prefer  beauty  to  brains  in  u  wife. 


CHAPTER  XXII. 


A   FATED    POLAR   CRUISER. 


Tj^OR  !i  month  or  inoio  the  daily  question  had 
^  been,  "AVhere  is  the  Mcannette'"?  She 
was  expected  at  Onalaska  l)y  the  first  of  July, 
then  on  the  second,  third,  fourth  —  the  "glori- 
ous," and  so  on  through  the  entire  thirty  one 
(hiys  of  the  month.  She  was  expected  at  Ona- 
laska, at  St.  Paul's,  at  St.  Michael's.  When 
the  "Rush"'  was  steamin":  down  Behrinff  Straits 
on  the  evening  of  the  15th  of  July,  everybody 
below  was  called  on  deck  to  see  the  "  Jeannette" 
coming  up  under  full  sail.  There  she  was,  hull 
down,  with  standing  jib,  foresail,  mainsail,  main- 
topsail,  and  mizzen-sail,  as  it  appeared,  boom- 
ing along  with  a  stitf  southwester.  Presently 
our  glasses  revealed  her  coal  consort  on  her 
starboard  quarter ;  but  about  the  same  time  the 
distance  between  the  "  Jeannette's"'  fore  and 
mainmast  was  increasing?  to  a  remarkable  defjree 
and  land  was  looming  up  beycmd  her.  The 
ships  were  soon  transformed  into  snow  that  was 

221 


h>^ 


rt 


^^ 


■■•\  i     I 

■ !    1 

V  S'     ; 


4'i: 


222 


.1    7A7/'    7'0    ALASKA. 


seen  through  the  fog  before  the  outlines  of  Sledge 
Isljuul— on  vvhieii  it  lay  in  gulches  —  were  dis- 
cernible, and  that  was  the  phantom  "Jeannette." 

At  Onalaska  the  "Jeannette"  and  Christ- 
mas were  Hnally  coupled  together  in  the  prom- 
ise that  they  were  coming,  and  when  the  "Rush" 
arrived  down  from  the  north,  bringing  no  tidings 
and  hearing  none  of  the  expedition,  the  long- 
looked-for  "Jeaunette"  was  given  up  for  the 
year  There  were  various  theories  as  to  why 
she  did  not  arrrive.  One  was  that  San  Fran- 
cisco offered  superior  advantages  as  a  winter 
station  for  a  vessel  in  search  of  the  North  Pole. 
Another,  that  she  had  been  found  nui^eaworthy. 
A  third,  that  she  had  started  through  the  inland 
passage  to  Sitka,  and  been  "piled  up"  on  some 
one  of  the  numerous  reefs  to  be  found  on  that 
route. 

About  one  o'clock  on  the  afternoon  of  August 
2,  it  was  ascertained  that  a  ship  believed  to  be 
the  "Jeannette"  was  standing  in  I)}' Kallekhta 
Point.  Then  the  fog  closed  in  again  and  the 
ship  was  shut  out  from  sight,  having  been  seen 
but  for  a  few  moments.  The  pilot  of  the 
"  Rush"  jumped  into  the  middle  of  a  three-holed 
bidarkie,  and  wiih  an  Aleut  before  and  one 
behind,  went  paddling  out  to  ireet  the  stran- 
gers.    The  bidarkie  had  been  loii"  out  of  siffht 


A  FATED  POLAR  CRUISER. 


223 


why 


laight 


in  the  fog  before  anything  could  be  seen  of  the 
bound-in  ship,  but  tinidly  she  loomed  up  in  the 
fog,  and  the  pilot  was  upon  the  bridge,  bringing 
her  around  the  reef  that  sti etches  almost  across 
the  harbor,  within  a  hundred  yaivls  of  the  set- 
tlement. At  half-past  tiiree  in  the  afternoon  of 
the  2d  of  August,  1879,  the  "Jeannette"  was 
moored  to  the  buoy  in  the  inner  harbor,  within 
a  hundred  yards  of  the  "Rush"  at  anchor,  and 
about  the  same  distance  from  the  "  St.  Paul"  at 
the  wharf.  It  was  the  rirst  time  that  three 
steamships  were  seen  in  this  small  harbor  at  one 
time,  but  it  is  not  s<,  uncommon  a  sight  these 
later  years. 

The  "  Jeannette  "  was  about  as  ugly  a  craft  as 
ever  was  set  afloat,  and  as  she  came  in  with  a 
heavy  list  to  port,  sbe  looked  like  a  half- 
whipped  hog  making  leeway  out  of  a  rough- 
and-tuml)le  fi<>:ht.  She  was  even  iiijlier  than 
she  looked,  having  been  twenty-five  days  mak- 
ing the  passage  from  San  Francisco,  about 
twenty-one  hundred  miles,  and  consuming  one 
hundred  and  sixty  tons  of  coal  —  enougli  to  last 
the  "St.  Paul" — more  than  double  tlmn  the 
'' Jeannette's"  tonnnge  —  the  trip  to  the  seal 
islands  and  back  to  San  Francisco.  Five  knots 
an  hour  was  considered  good  work  for  the 
"Jeannette"  on  the  trip  up,  and  six  knots  was 


224 


A  TRIP  TO  ALASKA. 


i".  '  W 


the  very  utmost  that  could  he  forced  out  of  her. 
The  boilers  were  ridiculous!}^  small  for  the  work 
to  be  done,  and  the  engine  might  have  been 
thrown  overboard  hy  Noah  as  too  much  of  a 
dead  Aveight  to  the  ark.  The  whole  machinery 
seemed  to  have  been  constructed  for  a  maxi- 
mum consumption  of  corl  with  a  minimum  of 
distauvoe,  and  m  this  respect  it  was  wonderful. 
She  consumed  a  ton  of  coal  for  about  ever} 
thirteen  miles  from  San  Francisco,  while  ''r.^- 
"  Rush,"  during  the  month  of  July,  made  tifty- 
four  miles  for  every  ton  of  coal  used,  and  aver- 
aged about  seven  and  a  half  knots  per  hour, 
when  not  stopping  for  hourly  soundings.  The 
"  Jeannette"  took  on  one  hundred  and  fifty  tons 
of  coal  at  Onalaska,  and  was  to  have  another 
hundred  tons  at  St.  MichaeVs.  She  was  about 
two  months  too  late  to  accomplish  anything  the 
first  year.  She  ought  to  have  left  San  Fran- 
cisco early  in  May,  instead  of  in  July ;  then  she 
would  have  had  a  chance  to  go  as  far  as  any 
ship  has  ever  been  and  prepare  for  winter.  In 
addition  to  the  coal  taken  on  here,  the  "  Jean- 
nette  "  also  received  from  the  superintendent  of 
the  Onalaska  district  for  the  Alaska  Commer- 
cial Company  twenty-five  "kamleikas,"oi  .v.iter- 
proof  skin  shirts,  twenty-five  seal  bluh*.ets, 
sixteen  marmot  blankets,  thirty  reindeer  skins, 


A  FATEb  VOLAR  fliVlSKIi. 


225 


fty- 

ver- 

our, 

The 

tons 

ther 

30Ut 

the 
ran- 
she 
any 
In 
ean- 
of 
mer- 
.\ter- 
ets, 
ms, 


.;* 


twenty-five  reindeer  sleepuig-bags,  sixteen  rein- 
deer coats,  twenty-seven  marmot  coats,  a  lot  of 
mittens  and  snow-shoos,  and  twelve  thousand 
"eucali"  or  dried  salmon.  These  articles,  as 
well  as  the  coal,  were  donated  by  the  Vlaska 
Commercial  Company ;  General  ]Miller,  then 
president,  having  provided  Captain  De  Long 
with  carte  Manche  for  anything  he  might  want, 
if  procurable  at  their  stations. 

As  the  '  Rush"  was  to  leave  Onalaska  on 
Auirust  4th  for  the  Island  of  Xunivak,  the  "  St. 
Paul"  beino'  announced  to  sail  for  'Frisco  on 
the  5th,  and  the  "  Jeannette"  to  struiTirle  out  on 
the  6th  or  7th  for  St.  ^Michael'^;,  a  dinner  was 
given  at  the  com[)any's  house  to  Captains  Bailey, 
Erskine,  and  De  Long,  and  officers  of  the 
"Rush"  and  "  Jeannctte."  It  was  a  quiet,  socia- 
ble dinner,  without  toasts  or  speeches,  and  a 
very  pleasant  gathering  it  proved  to  be. 


^^^immmmmmmm 


CHAPTER  XXIII. 


A   WKECK. 


r\^  t  Olh  of  July,  1879,  a  ship's  dingy 
-^  witii  lOresail  iuid  jib  set  came  sailing  into 
the  harbor  of  Onalaska,  having  four  persons 
aljoard.  These  persons  were  Mr.  Beresford, 
mate,  a  colored  man,  —  second  mate,  and  two 
seamen  of  the  once  notorious  brig  ''  Timandra," 
a  trader,  with  such  a  reputation  for  selling  rum 
to  the  Eskimos  that  her  late  captain.  Havens, 
could  not  get  a  clearance  from  the  custom-house 
in  San  Francisco  ;  so  she  was  sent  out  in  com- 
mand of  Mr.  Thomas,  formerly  her  mate,  and 
Beresford  was  shipped  as  navigating  officer. 
She  cleared  from  San  Francisco  for  the  Sand- 
wich Islands  for  the  purpose  of  taking  rum 
jiboard,  mid  Ravens,  her  old  captain,  got  a 
license  as  pilot  of  the  "  Ellen  J.  McKinnon," 
starting  north  in  her.  She  was  wrecked  ;  Ca))- 
tain  Ravens  being  washed  out  of  the  rigging, 
and  all  hands  losing  their  lives,  some  suddenly, 
and  others  by  the  slow  process  of  starvation, 
except  one  man,  who  was  rescued  after  fifteen 
226 


A    WRECK. 


227 


ii 


djivs  of  horrible  sufferini?  on  the  wreck,  which 
continued  to  flout,  water-loirged.  The  "jVIc- 
Kinnon  "  had  m  cnriro  of  jjenerul  merchandise  on 
board  for  trade  anionc^  the  Aleuts  and  the 
Indians  of  Behrinir  Straits,  while  the  "Tinuin- 
dra"  had  rum,  arms,  and  amnumition  as  the 
chief  commodities  in  her  carao.  The  two  ves- 
sels  were  to  have  met  at  one  of  two  })Iaces 
uiifreed  on,  and,  after  interchanij:ini>:  cargoes, 
proceed  to  the  tit  ling-grounds  under  connnand 
of  Captain  liavens. 

On  the  8th  of  March  the  "Timandra"  got 
under  way  from  San  Francisco.  She  left  Hono- 
lulu April  9,  and  arrived  without  accident  in 
Oonimak  Pass,  to  the  eastward  of  Onalaska, 
May  4.  Not  finding  the  "  McKinnon  "  here,  and 
supposing  her  to  be  in  advance  of  him.  Captain 
Thomas  stood  for  Nunivak,  and  arrived  oft'  that 
island  on  the  lUth  of  May.  To  his  surprise  the 
"McKinnon"  was  not  there,  but,  not  doubting 
that  she  would  come,  and  not  knowing  what  to 
do  without  the  presence  of  Captain  Kavens  or 
further  orders,  the  brig  was  kept  off  and  on  at 
Nunivak  without  any  event  of  interest  occurring 
until  May  20,  when  she  struck  on  a  sand  bar  off 
the  northwH^st  })oint  of  the  island,  about  two  and 
a  half  miles  from  shore. 

Immediately  after  striking  the  brig  connnenced 


P7IS0I 


228 


A    TRIP    ro   ALASKA. 


11  hf^  > 


'■~  5 


or' 


fell 


to  fill,  and  the  pumps  were  put  to  work.  LjukI- 
ing  on  the  west  side  was  im[)ractic'able,  but  under 
the  southwest  point  a  bight  makes  in  to  a  smooth 
beach,  and  in  westerly  or  northerly  weather  it 
affords  a  very  good  anchorage.  In  s(,utlierly 
weather  no  vessel  can  remain  there  in  safety, 
Inmiediately  on  getting  under  the  lee  of  tlie 
island  a  portion  of  the  crew  was  set  to  breaking 
out  the  cargo,  and  the  remainder  worked  the 
pumps.  In  getting  the  goods  ashore,  valual)le 
assistance  was  rendered  bv  the  Nunivak  Indians 
or  their  squaws,  for  the  men,  like  all  other  sav- 
ages of  their  sex,  can  afford  to  despise  work. 
Discharging  cargo  continued  till  the  23d,  the 
men  having  l)een  kept  at  it  da}'  and  night,  on 
which  date,  everything  of  value  being  landed, 
the  vessel  was  abandoned,  and  she  soon  sank 
in  the  sand.  Tlie  ship's  company  consisted  of 
twelve  persons,  all  told,  including  Mr.  Barker, 
the  supercargo. 

After  securing  the  cargo  the  castaways  turned 
to  and  housed  themselves  and  the  iroods.  llav- 
ing  had  a  lot  of  luml)er  in  the  ship  for  East 
Cape,  they  took  scantling  enough  for  a  frame  and 
boards  for  flooring.  The  frame  beinu;  covered 
with  sails  stripped  from  the  sunken  vessel,  which 
had  been  run  in  as  far  as  possible  and  beached, 
they  succeeded  in  making  a  canvas  house. 


A    WRECK. 


229 


At  that  time  there  was  deep  snow  upon  the 
ground  and  the  weather  was  (juite  cold,  so  two 
stoves  were  put  up  in  the  house.  All  of  the 
finer  goods  were  kept  in  this  structure,  where 
all  the  hands  lived;  hut  the  less  valuable  and 
less  perishal)le  part  of  the  cargo,  except  bulky 
articles,  were  stowed  away  in  casks  and  barrels. 


H 


thif 


sland  seld( 


ere  ni  tnis  canvas  nouse,  on  an  islana  seluoni 
if  ever  visited  by  ships  or  civilized  beings,  sur- 
rounded bv  the  lowest  of  barbarians,  thou":h  a 
peaceful  peo})le.  with  whom  they  could  not 
exchanire  an  intelliirent  word,  the  men  of  the 
lost  vessel  all  lived  for  two  months,  and  some 
of  them  lonijer. 

The  Indians  of  Nunivak  subsist  on  venison 
and  fish,  which  thev  eat  raw,  and  clothe  them- 
selves  in  deerskin  coats  or  parkies  and  seal- 
skin pantaloons.  They  live  in  low,  earthen 
huts,  with  underground  communications,  and, 
as  a  result  of  this  sort  of  life,  are  s?ibject  to 
coughs,  asthma,  and  lung  diseases  generally. 
They  know  nothing  of  the  white  man  nor  his 
ways,  but,  on  seeing  the  sailors  cooking,  tried  the 
experiment  in  an  almost  crude  way,  eating  some 
half-roasted,  half-burned  walrus  meat  as  a  culi- 
nary experiment.  The}^  knew  nothing  of  bread 
before  the  arrival  of  the  shipwrecked  sailors, 
but  ate  it  eagerly  when  it  was  offered  them. 


230 


A    TitlP   TO  ALASKA. 


■it-. 


Anything  with  llie  savor  of  salt  in  it  they  reject- 
ed with  signs  of  repugnance. 

The  Indians  brought  in  venison  whenever  it 
was  wanted,  giving  a  quarter  for  a  box  of  per- 
cussion ca[)s  or  a  little  tobacco.  Ihey  use  old- 
fashioned  niuzzle-loadin<»'  <runs  obtained  from 
Indian  traders,  who  cross  over  from  the  mainland 
on  the  ice.  In  addition  to  deerskins  they  have 
some  red  foxes,  the  skins  shown,  however,  being 
of  inferior  quality,  probably  rejected  by  the 
mainland  Indians,  who  act  as  agents  in  many 
parts  of  Northern  Alaska  for  the  companies 
which  control  the  fur  trade  from  Cook's  Inlet 
to  the  Arctic. 

About  fifty  yards  from  the  house  of  the  ship- 
wrecked party  was  a  village  containing  forty  or 
fifty  Indian  men,  women,  and  children.  The 
men  were  almost  constantly  about  the  white  men's 
camp,  but  the  women  only  came  at  intervals. 
When  the  crew  were  enfjitoed  ffettinff  the  curffo 
ashore,  the  squaws  assisted  them  under  orders 
from  the  men,  avIio  had  their  orders  from  the 
chief.  After  the  work  was  completed  the  squaws 
disappeared,  and  were  never  seen  again  except 
for  a  few  davs  at  a  time. 

Some  time  after  abandoning  the  brig  the  chief 
of  the  village  took  sick,  and  although  he  received 
every  attention  that  the  whites  could  render  (for 


A    WRECK. 


231 


he  had  been  very  friendly  with  them),  he  died. 
The  corpse  was  not  cold  before  the  Indians 
wrapped  it,  tying  the  arms  and  legs  so  as  to  keep 
the  body  in  a  sitting  posture,  and  carried  it  to  a 
sort  of  cairn,  or  pile  of  stones,  where  it  was  set 
up  on  a  floor  or  foundation  and  covered  with 
loose  rocks.  All  the  chief's  personal  property, 
even  to  a  Malacca  cane  given  him  by  the  whites, 
was  deposited  with  the  body.  As  soon  as  that 
ceremony  had  been  j)erformed,  the  oldest  widow 
in  the  village  tore  the  parka  and  pantaloons 
from  tiie  late  chief's  widowand  threw  them,  along 
with  the  other  property,  ui)on  the  pile  that  marks 
his  departure  for  that  southern  clime  to  which 
the  wild  geese  fly  in  the  fall,  according  to  the 
belief  of  the  Indians  along  diat  part  of  the 
coast. 

Nunivak  is  a  cold,  cheerless  place,  ice  remain- 
ing in  the  little  stream  near  the  villasre  all  sum- 
mer,  as  the  castaways  were  given  to  understand. 
Ice  is  the  great  preservative  among  these  In- 
dians, their  only  mode  of  keeping  meat,  which 
is  killed  when  fattest,  in  the  winter,  being  to 
freeze  it.  Codfish  and  smelts  are  plentiful  about 
the  island,  and  salmon  of  the  finest  quality  are 
taken  in  the  little  strcmi  near  the  village.  As 
soon  as  spring  weather  sets  in,  the  men  of  Nuni- 
vak bathe  freel}',  but  the  women  are  represented 


232 


A    TRIV  TO  ALASKA. 


as  being  most  filthy,  never  indulging  in  such 
nonsense  as  the  bath.  The  island  is  almost  con- 
stantly enveloped  in  fog,  so  far  as  is  known  to 
the  sailors ;  and  it  is  altogether  a  fair  sam|)le 
of  Alaska,  though  there  are  a  few  more  attract- 
ive spots,  perhaps,  and  a  great  many  more  too 
much  like  it. 

Among  the  officers  of  the  "  Timandra "  was 
Mr.  Beresford,  first  mate  and  navigating  officer. 
As  soon  as  evervthin*?  that  could  be  done  after 
abandoning  the  brig  had  been  accom[)lished,  he 
set  about  makin«?  arrangements  to  ffot  awav  be- 
fore  winter  should  set  in  and  shut  him  otf  from 
all  hope  of  seeing  civilization  again  that  year. 
He  proposed  that  Captain  Thomas  should  make 
an  effort  to  reach  the  Kuskoquim,  but  the  cap- 
tain, unacquainted  with  the  people  there,  did 
not  appear  to  relish  the  idea  of  venturing  out 
to  take  the  chances  of  landing  among  worse  sav- 
ages on  the  mainland  than  those  met  upon  the 
island.  It  was  determined,  however,  to  build  a 
large  boat,  if  possible,  with  which  purpose  in 
view  work  Avas  commenced  bj^  laying  a  keel,  cut 
from  the  main  boom  of  the  brig,  for  a  five-ton 
craft.  Cask  staves  were  used  for  knees,  and  a 
stem  and  stern  post  constructed  of  the  ship's  rail. 
Lumber  from  the  cargo  was  taken  for  planking, 
but  owing  to  a  want  of  steaming  facilities  it  did 


.1     WRKCK. 


23a 


not  work  very  well,  as  spruce  does  not  bond 
readily,  exce[)t  under  more  favonible  eircuni- 
stanees  than  those  attending  the  shipwrecked 
mariners  on  Nunivak.  A  boiler,  originally 
constructed  for  trying  bhjbber  on  board  the 
vessel,  Avas  used  for  steaming  the  plaidving, 
but  the  boards  broke  more  fre(]uenlly  than  they 
bent.  It  was  a  question,  too,  whether,  even 
if  the  boat  were  once  planked,  siie  could  be 
caulked  and  made  water-tiijht.  So,  about  the 
20th  of  June,  haviuii;  been  at  the  work  for 
three  weeks,  it  was  given'u}). 

Then  the  mate  went  to  work  on  another 
scheme.  He  built  up  the  ding3%  or  ship's  boat, 
about  six  inches  on  the  sides,  decking  her  over, 
leavini»:  onlv  a  sort  of  coxswain's  box  aft,  and 
concluded  to  go  in  search  of  relief.  He  stepped 
a  foremast,  and  shipped  a  jibboom,  took  in  his 
chronometer,  sextant,  a  ship's  compass,  and  ten 
days'  provisions.  The  tirst  and  second  mates, 
and  two  men,  one  of  them  sick,  went  aboard 
this  craft,  so  small  that  only  two  could  remain 
up  at  a  time,  the  others  being  require  to  lay 
beneath  the  deckini*;  in  order  to  atibrd  room  for 
steerins:  and  handlinu*  the  sails.  Mr.  Beresford 
set  his  course  for  Onalaska,  leavinij  Nunivak 
July  26,  for  a  four-hundred  mile  voyage. 

On  the  first  and  second  days  he  got  observa- 


234 


A    TlUr   TO  ALASKA. 


IJ^' 


tions,  l)ul  iit'tor  that  tho  f()<r  shut  out  everything, 
till  on  the  .')()! h  of  July  \w  made  land.  While 
pulling  along  to  liiid  out  it'  \\\v  plai-o  wore  in- 
habited, he  saw  a  vessel  heealnied,  and,  hoard- 
ing her,  he  found  himself  u})on  the  deek  of  the 
sehooner  ''St.  (ieorge,"  of  the  Alaskji  C'onnner- 
eiiil  Conii).Mny.  The  «hip\vreeked  sailors  were 
directed  to  the  entrance  of  Onalaska  harbor, 
which  they  readily  made,  and  thus  in  four  days 
they  had  sailed  four  hundred  miles  in  an  open 
bout,  and  were  where  they  could  hope  for  relief 
for  their  companions  cast  away  on  Nunivak. 

This  voyaii'e  from  Nunivak  direct  to  Onalasl 
in  four  days  was  extraordinary,  as  a  storm  wou.»» 
have  swamped  the  boat,  and  if  she  had  struck  one 
of  the  connnon  cross-currents,  often  encountered 
in  Behring  Sea,  she  might  have  been  carried  a 
hundred  miles  out  of  her  course  before  the  fog 
lifted.  A  continued  calm  of  ten  days  before  he 
started,  a  favoring  breeze  the  entire  distance, 
and  a  thorough  knowledge  of  his  business,  car- 
ried the  mate  and  his  companions  through  in 
safety. 


CHAPTER  XXIV. 


CONCLUSION. 


^I^HE  reader  who  nuiy  have  considered  the 
-*-  sul)jeet.s  treated  of  in  the  foreiroiii^  pages 
will  not  tind  much  in  them  to  encourage  him  to 
.seek  a  home  in  Alaska.  To  an  impartial  ob- 
server it  would  seem  wicked  to  suirirest  emiii^ra- 
tion  from  any  part  of  the  rnit(;d  States  to  a 
land  the  coast  lines  of  which  are  characterized 
by  snow,  rain,  and  fog  to  such  an  extent  as  to 
almost  enJrely  ])rcclude  the  ripening  of  any 
sort  of  vegetables  suitable  for  man's  food,  and 
the  interior  of  which,  so  far  as  known,  is  largely 
composed  of  ice- water  l)ogs  in  summer  and 
frozen  lakes  for  eight  out  of  the  twelve  months 
in  the  year.  Plainly,  so  far  as  I  could  see  or 
hear,  Alaska  is  as  illy  adai)ted  to  grazing  as  to 
farming  purposes.  The  climate  is  against  either 
of  those  industries,  and  though  the  possibility 
of  a  family's  existence  by  farming  or  cattle 
raising  in  Alaska  is  not  denied,  its  practicability 
is  doubted.     Certainly  a  more  comfortable  live- 

235 


236 


.1    TRIP   TO  ALASKA. 


^f' 


1^ 


lihood  may  be  gained  in  any  of  the  States  or 
Territories,  us  they  are  known  and  understood, 
than  in  Alaska.  The  timber  resources  of  Alaska 
are  limited  ])()th  in  quantity  and  quality,  al- 
thouiiii  this  fact  is  not  licnerallv  believed.  Coal 
has  been  found,  but  in  an  undeveloped  condition. 
The  precious  metals  are  reported  in  rich  depos- 
its from  time  to  time,  but  statistics  of  bullioii 
shipments  from  Alaska  have  no  existence,  and 
there  is  little  doubt  that  up  to  the  present  time 
more  money  has  been  expended  by  deluded 
prospectors  in  outfits  than  has  ever  been  dug 
out  of  the  earth  or  crusted  in  the  rock  of  that 
vast  region.  There  are  plentv  of  fish  in  Alaska, 
and  opportunities  still  remain  for  the  location  of 
salmon-curing  establishments.  It  will  jirobably 
be  made  evident  in  a  short  time  that  the  Alaska 
salmon  are  superior  to  any  caught  so  fa-  south 
as  the  Columbia  River. 

The  question  of  a  form  of  government  for 
Alaska  is  receivinij  considerable  attention,  and 
it  appears  that  some  Congressional  action  in  this 
direction  must  soon  be  perfected.  For  this 
})urpose  it  would  seem  to  be  desirable  that  the 
Territory  should  be  di\  ided,  and  a  simple  form 
of  government  provided  where  it  is  needed — and 
where  only  it  would  be  practical  at  present — in 
that  portion  from  Mount  St.  V,\\x\^  to  Cane  Vox. 


COA'CLUKloy. 


237 


Any  attempt  to  enforce  ami  keep  up  a  Tenito- 

ml  .onn  of  government  throughout  the  remain- 

le  •  of  that  vast  region  would  probably  result  in 

a,lure  for  years  to  come.     I„   any  event,   no 

tm-mer  mechanic,  or  small  trader  who  can  .ain 

■•'  I'.vehhood    in  any  other  State  or   Territory 

ought  to  risk  his  happiness  in  Alaska. 


C.  J.  PM.r,  s  Son,   Klretrotyp,™,  Boston. 


